Andover woman's journey from anorexia to bodybuilder

A woman has shared her experience of overcoming a long battle with anorexia and winning a bodybuilding championship.

From the age of 16, Nicola King had anorexia and for more than two years was in and out of hospital - at times close to death.

Now the 24-year-old from Andover has won a bodybuilding championship, after the journey to get her strength back inspired her to take up the sport.

Miss King has won the 2017 Pure Elite UK championship and said she was an "emotional wreck" after hearing her named called as the winner.

She said, while at her worst, her parents were told she may not survive the night but she was "convinced" she didn't need help and would pull out her feeding tubes.

In 2013, still extremely ill, Nicola boarded a flight to Mexico and spent three months on her own, gradually starting to eat again.

She then started going to the gym and decided to train to become a bodybuilder - 18 months later, Miss King is a champion.

She said: "If I can show people that I can do it then hopefully people can see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Anorexia brings you nothing but death."

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