Heart failure hasn't stopped Teesside strong man rolling cars

HE CAN roll cars and deadlift Vauxhall Corsas now Andrew Reid is heading to the USA for a "strongest man" competition, despite suffering heart failure just two years ago.

- By DAVE ROBOSN

Since taking up the sport after 2012, having initially gone to the gym to lose weight - "I was 23 stones of pure fat," he says - mental health nurse Andrew has rolled cars, deadlifted a Vauxhall Corsa, hauled fire engines and lifted eye-watering amounts of weights at strongman events across the North East.

But in 2023, when part of Andrew's heart was functioning at only 19%, it looked like his strongman career was over. That initial heart diagnosis was a crushing blow.

But thanks to medication and a careful fitness regime, the affected part of his heart is now back up to 40% functionality - not far short of the usual 55-60% for most people.

As long as he listens to his body and takes the medication he must now take for life, he's now back on the strongman circuit.