Strongwoman set to take on Europe's best

Rosie Abercrombie won an England's Strongest Woman title in 2023

A woman who was crowned England’s Strongest Woman is set to compete for the European title.

Rosie Abercrombie, from Knutton, in Staffordshire, will be facing off against strong women from across the continent in Edinburgh on 4 March.

It will come about a year after she won the under-73kg category at the national contest.

Ms Abercrombie told BBC Radio Stoke that she was going into the European tournament with more realistic goals due to the level of competition.

"It’s so much heavier - it’s numbers I’ve not actually hit yet," she said.

"But it’s why I love the sport - you get better by pushing to hit numbers that you’ve not hit.

"I’m prepared for it to be a challenge."

Ms Abercrombie said she was being realistic about her chances in the European contest

She admitted she was not as prepared as she was for the England contest last year because of other commitments.

This included the recent opening of her new gym Shelter of Strength in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

She said it was something she wanted to do for a while, as she often held training classes.

"It’s amazing and every part of it is so meaningful… it’s what I’ve wanted for so long," she said.

Ms Abercrombie discovered her talent for weightlifting shortly after she joined a gym in her early 20s.

She said she used it as a way of improving her self-esteem, having felt like she did not have many prospects ahead of her after becoming a single mother.