Mum Angela Richards is hoping to prove that it’s never too late to get in shape as she prepares to take to compete in a bodybuilding and fitness competition.

A technician for BT by day, Angela has been busy during her free time lifting weights and getting in shape for the World Beauty Fitness and Fashion event to be held at the 02 Arena, in London, on Sunday.

Angela, 40, a mother of one, has been in training for about two years and spends six days a week at the Nuffield Gym, in Cambridge, with sessions that can last up to four hours.

Angela, of Ely, was inspired to take up weightlifting after returning from her honeymoon and finding that she had piled on the pounds, despite being a regular exerciser.

She said: “I happened to be reading The Sun and there was an article about a woman in there who did bodybuilding and I read that she did competitions in a bikini category.

“I was really inspired and I decided to look up what that involved. I went down to my gym and asked what it was going to take to get up to that standard.

“I used to do a lot of running but I wanted to get fit in a different way and I thought, why not give it a go?”

Angela now has a strength and fitness coach and follows a strict diet that sees her eating plenty of protein every three hours.

She says she “absolutely loves” being in the gym and is taking the competition “very seriously”.

She said: “One of the hardest things is giving up my social life to spend time in the gym but I’m taking it very seriously. I’m aiming to get a placing.”