A MOTTINGHAM firefighter has won a contest to prove he is the fittest in London.

Peter Dean, 30, of Ravensworth Road, has been based at Forest Hill fire station since 1999.

His new title makes him the fittest of 7,000 firefighters from all the London stations, and entitles him to compete in a World's Fittest Firefighter battle in Brisbane, Australia, next year.

London's Fittest Firefighter, which may become an annual contest, began in August with heats at the brigade's Southwark training school. The heats narrowed the field to 32, who took part in the finals in Covent Garden.

Contestants had to complete a gruelling course involving rowing, press-ups, step-ups, bench presses, climbing ladders, running up a five-storey fire escape, carrying six 25kg cannisters and running down a smoke-filled rat-run wearing breathing apparatus carrying a 10st dummy. Peter completed the course with a seven second lead over his rivals.

He said: “I was really chuffed as I never expected to win. I don't even work out every day though I do a lot of skipping.”