A POWERLIFTER who fought back from a broken back to compete for World Championship gold has been crowned as the overall winner of The Northern Echo's Local Heroes Awards.

Army Staff Sergeant Steven Grey won the accolade at a ceremony at Darlington Football Club's Feethams ground last night.

Local heroes from all over the region were recognised for their efforts in grassroots sport in the first year of the awards, held in conjunction with Darlington Building Society and Century Radio.

Steven, from Darlington, walked away with £500 of sports equipment and a trophy, only hours after flying in from the powerlifting World Championships in Las Vegas where he won two silver medals.

A physical training instructor at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, he broke his back in three places ten years ago while taking part in a gymnastics display.

He then began weightlifting to build up his fitness and discovered he liked it. He took part in his first competition, and broke all British records.

Steven, who can lift three times his own body weight, has now been the British champion for the past five years.

The awards were prompted by The Northern Echo's weekly supplement Local Heroes. Editor Peter Barron said: "Steven was chosen as our overall winner as he is a man who embodies the very spirit of sportsmanship."