WITH his rippling six pack and bulging pecs, muscleman Matt Dunford is hoping to take Las Vegas by storm.

The former Drayton Park Primary School pupil spends more than two hours a day honing his physique, does not touch carbohydrates after 4pm, and has not sipped a drop of alcohol for 12 weeks.

Now he is hoping that the hard work will pay off and see him come out top in the male sports model category of the Musclemania Universe contest later this month.

Mr Dunford who grew up in Holloway Road, Holloway, and now lives in Copenhagen Street, Islington, has already come second in the male sports model category in this year’s Musclemania Europe competition in Milan.

The 26-year-old bodybuilder, who got into sport and fitness by playing rugby at school and university, said: “I was working as a personal trainer when I was approached by a couple of others who thought I would be good at fitness modelling and bodybuilding.

“I have always had a pretty hard-core training regime, but now it’s a completely different lifestyle.

“The diet is the hardest thing. I enjoy the training, even through it’s three times a day, but a strict diet is the thing that really makes a difference.

“You have to get down to about six per cent body fat for the competition - so you have as much definition and as many lumps and bumps as possible.”

For the three rounds of the Las Vegas competition, Mr Dunford - who works and trains at Gymbox in Holborn - will take to the catwalk in a slick grey suit, a lifeguard’s outfit, and a pair of very small shorts.

He said: “I am really going to give it 100 per cent. I’m looking to come in the top three – and I will be disappointed if I don’t.”

Mr Dunford, who is also aiming to be on the front cover of Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness magazines, said: “I would love to do fitness modelling full-time – and be an elite personal trainer at the same time.”