A fistFUL of trophies proved no weight at all for the Basingstoke Powerlifting Club at the Drug-Free World Championships in Edinburgh.

The small band of lifters, based at the Sports Centre in Basingstoke, can now boast four world champions in their ranks - twin brothers Paul and Peter Bedford, Andy Bonner and George Stoneman.

Paul Bedford was the first to collect a title in the under-60kg equipped class, after achieving a squat of 95kg, a bench-press of 77.5kg and a dead-lift of 150kg, for a total of 323.5kg.

His brother Peter set a new squat and totals record in the unequipped under-65.5kg category the following day, with a squat of 170kg, a bench-press of 130kg and a dead-lift of 200kg to give him a total of 500kg.

This removed the heartache of last year's Championship, when Peter finished runner-up.

Reigning under-90kg equipped world champion Andy Bonner took the unequipped class this year, to give him a unique double. His total of 687.5kg was made up of a squat of 240kg, bench-press of 165kg and a dead-lift of 282.5kg.

These were all British, European and World Masters records -and it earned Bonner the open and masters titles, as well as being voted best lifter on the day against 55 other competitors. George Stoneman completed the quartet, winning the unequipped under-100 kg category with a 645kg total as he squatted 230kg, bench-pressed 140kg and dead-lifted 275kg to win the masters title and finish second in the open class.

Two more of the club's lifters were also in action in the under-125kg equipped category.

Scott Harding finished third, with a personal-best total of 700kg, while Rob Mackenreth also picked up a personal-best, finishing fifth with a total of 530kg.

The Basingstoke lifters also helped England to the team title and, as Bonner was the top lifter, he received the trophy.

Bonner said: "No world title is ever a dead cert and I think Peter was the most happy to win his crown after the disappointment of last year. I was pleased to win the best overall lifter, as that was a first for me. It is a great achievement for a club of our size to have so many world champions."

Harding and Paul Bedford are next in action in the World Single-Lift Championships in Italy later this month.