The finalists who will compete in St Albans to be named UK’s Strongest Man have been announced.

Herts Advertiser: Gareth Blake, England's Strongest Man. Picture: Ultimate StrongmanGareth Blake, England's Strongest Man. Picture: Ultimate Strongman (Image: Archant)

Following three months of qualifying rounds, 15 strongmen from around the British Isles will come to St Albans' Verulamium Park in July to compete for the UK's Strongest Man 2019 title.

This includes the Strongest Man winners from different countries around the UK, including Scotland's Paul Bad Boy Benton, Wales's Mark Jeanes, England's Gareth Blake, and reigning UK and Ireland champion Pa O'Dwyer.

Gareth, a newcomer to the strongman scene who stands at 6ft 7in tall, won England's Strongest Man in front of 7,000 fans in Telford last month.

The former UK, European and world champion, Laurence Shahlaei, has had to pull out of the competition last minute after suffering an Achilles injury at the World's Strongest Man contest in Florida this month.

This comes after he vowed to regain the UK's Strongest Man title from last year's winner Pa O'Dwyer.

Laurence is being replaced by Lancashire competitor and new British Log Lift record holder Graham Hicks.

Five-times UK's Strongest Man winner Glenn Ross said: "Gareth is like the new Giant Haystacks - he is absolutely huge and could cause a real upset in St Albans next month.

"This year's line-up is phenomenal, and fans can once again look forward to what promises to be a nail-biting finale."

The UK's Strongest Man competition 2019 takes place from July 26 to 28.

On July 26, the 15 finalists will be drawn into two groups of eight, with two men from each group eliminated at the end of the first day.

For July 27 there will be two groups of six athletes, and again the bottom two will be eliminated.

Just eight men will remain for the final on July 28, and the winner will be crowned UK's Strongest Man 2019.

The event will be televised on Channel 5 and tickets can be bought for each single day or the whole weekend. Family tickets start at £10 per person, plus booking fee, from www.eventbrite.co.uk.Find out more about the competition at www.ultimatestrongman.tv/uks-strongest-man-2019.