MAN mountain Mark Felix has revealed how mental strength helped become the fourth strongest man in the world.

The 40-year-old from Rishton came fourth in the final of the World's Strongest Man, due to be shown on Channel Five at 8pm tomorrow.

And now the 6ft 4inch, 21-stone self-employed plasterer is hoping the lessons he learned at the 2006 event will allow him to go from strength to strength in 2007.

Mark said: "I was very pleased with where I finished and was happy to do so well.

"My confidence was very high going into the event and I believed I could win it but I made a couple of mistakes.

"A lot of it is to do with the mental stuff and the way you approach events and get yourself psyched up.

"For me it's about improving that side. I discovered Strongman' when I came to England and I've not been doing it as long as some of those other guys so the longer I do it the more comfortable I become."

Born in Grenada in the Caribbean, he moved to Great Harwood eight years ago and has been taking part in the strongman events for the past four years, having previously been heavily involved with body building.

The World's Strongest Man took place in September in Sanya, China. The event saw Mark finish on 38.5 points but America's Phil Pfister claimed the title with 61 points.

Mark said he faltered on the first event, the carry and drag where the men carry a 130kg anvil in each hand over a set distance. The athletes then drag a 300kg anchor and chain a further distance until the whole anchor and chain crosses the finish line. The winner is the athlete who covers the most distance in the shortest time.

Mark regained his composure to win the dead lift heat and go on to claim fourth spot.

The dead lift is were handles extend from underneath an 1800kg car and the athlete lifts the car to the knees locked' position and place the car down on the ground again as many times as they can.

Mark said: "Last year I took part in about nine events and I think I'm going to do more this year with and will be attending shows in Europe and the US. I'm looking forward to the World's Strongest Man competition later this year and hopefully I can win it."

In 2006 Mark won the Highland Games, Cannock Chase and Ireland Open strongman titles and he will again be competing in those as well as some pan-American competitions.