Meet the Bolton power couple crowned Mr and Miss Universe

A couple who live in Bolton have beaten off tough competition to become Mr and Miss Universe.

Ryan Mackins, 34, and Amy Scholes-Higham, 30, came out on top at the Physical Culture Association Universe event in Birmingham, meaning they can both now turn professional.

The couple had an online, long distance relationship during lockdown but then got together and bought their home in Bolton a year ago.

Ever since then, they've been training at the gyms in the town to reach their peek physiques.

Ryan said: "It’s so amazing to have someone who gets you, and I don’t know if I could have reached the same level if she had not been there as well."

The pair recorded a vlog of their win - and their meal - afterwards

They have both been inspired by Hollywood figures, real-life and fictional.

For secondary school teacher Amy, it is action hero figures like Wonderwoman.

She said: "I really enjoy weightlifting. I found it really explosive, and I found that during every single session, you can challenge yourself."

Ryan, who started weightlifting in his late teens, competes in the super heavyweight category.

He was first inspired by watching his hero Arnold Schwarznegger in Terminator 2 when he was only five or six.

He added: "I was always obsessed with superheroes and things like that, and then I started training at 17, but I only started taking it seriously seven years ago."

Their lifestyle is expensive, they spend thousands of pounds on gym memberships, supplements and competition equipment.

It's also demanding on their diets, Ryan eats more than 6,000 calories a day and Amy reaching around half that when they're bulking up

They are now looking at travelling the globe competing in professional competitions.

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