A Suffolk teenager has opened up about the impact of grief on his way to becoming a leading junior weightlifter.

Will Anders, 18, from Woodbridge said the gym community had been a "lifeline" for him as he coped with the sudden death of his father Rob due to an aggressive brain tumour.

And his efforts have reaped rewards as in October he came first in the 120kg+ junior men's division at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa.

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However, this success was not the first for Will as he has also come fourth in the British Junior Nationals in Powerlifting, with personal bests in all three events - squat, bench press and deadlift.

These highs were a far cry from the low point he experienced in 2021 when he would not go out, look in a mirror or use the camera on his phone.

Will's father died just before Christmas 2020 after experiencing seizures and being rushed to hospital, which resulted in the teenager retreating and start comfort eating to cope with his grief.

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In the following months, Mr Anders said he had to take down his mirror because he hated his physical appearance.

A turning point came when he received a message from a friend.

He said: "But then I got a text from my mate saying, 'I'm going to the gym do you want to come?'

"So I went to the gym and I don't know what it was about that day, but I said to myself when I got home from the gym that day, right, I'm going to do this now."

Although his eating problems continued, he felt things began to change when he began powerlifting on New Year's Day 2023.

He added: "I signed up for my first competition and it completely changed my life.

"There's just so much support for you when you're on the platform because everyone understands that you can only do your best.

"It's an amazing community that just pushes you forward constantly."

Will has also set up a page on the fundraising website gofundme to support his weightlifting efforts.