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Mild-mannered Mayor Ben Callcott, 60, has won a bodybuilding contest after taking up a fitness regime when he became first citizen of Charters Towers.

The alderman took up pumping iron when his son, Ben Jr., urged him to take up some exercise when he took up leadership of the town council in northern Queensland.

He has managed to transform himself into an impressive well-oiled 79kg machine and earned a divisional title on Sunday in the 2009 Coral Coast Classic Natural Bodybuilding Championships, held in Townsville.

"Young Ben got me started when I came to town," Cr Callcott said. "When I won the mayor job this time round he said to me, 'You better do something, old fella. You're not working physically any more.' He bought me an annual gym membership, so I started going to the gym."

[via: Townsville Bulletin News]

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