A NORTH-EAST pub was the scene of muscle-flexing and posing at the weekend as some of the region's top body-builders competed for a place on the national team.

The Walkabout Inn, in Durham, yesterday hosted the World Amateur Bodybuilding Association's selection for the UK team to compete in the European championships.

About 30 contestants went through their paces for a place at the event in Frankfurt, with the prospect of going on further, to the world championships, in Greece, in November.

The association vice-president for the UK, Scott Horton, said: "This is one of several heats during which we are choosing members for the team. We always find the standard is very high in the North-East. We hope to choose about seven people from the region to join us in Europe."

The contest also included a shape competition for women, and a beauty contest.

Final deliberations on the body building contestants will be made today.