A HODDLESDEN champion arm wrestler will appear on Sky TV next year after completing filming in London of a new TV series called Britain's Hardest.

But despite the programme raising his profile, British champion Andy Barker, 26, of Chapman Road, is still without a sponsor for next month's World Championships.

Andy battled it out against 53 other men in a series of mental and physical endurance tests to find the overall 'hardest' man in Britain.

The outcome of the game show, which will hit the screens in January 2004, is being kept a secret for now but Andy's girlfriend Elaine said East Lancashire would be proud of him.

Elaine, 32, a former world arm wrestling champion from Hoddlesden, said: "I know Andy is tough without being extrovert. He never gives up as he proves time after time with the arm wrestling.

"Andy showed some spectacular stuff on his way to and in the final of his heat on Britain's Hardest. All of East Lancashire will be proud of him when they watch the show. You will have to wait and see how he did but people will be proud of their local lad.

"It was so tough we forgot about the cameras so you see the real Andy, which is great because he is such a great guy without acting."

Andy, who has been competing in armwrestling events for eight years, said: "At first I wasn't keen on taking part as I don't see myself as a hard man.

"The tests were extremely difficult on the body and mind and you had to have mental power as well as physical strength."

Both Elaine and Andy originally agreed to appear on the show in the hope that the publicity may attract a sponsor for this year's arm wrestling World Championships in Canada next month, from December 1 to 5, but now the show will not be screened until January. The pair need to raise £1,000 each to compete for Team Great Britain in December and were hoping that Andy's raised profile would help them on their way. At the World Championships 2002 Andy achieved fourth place in the men's 75kg division while Elaine took silver in the ladies 65kg division.

Andy said: "I hoped the programme would be aired before the World Championships 2003, unfortunately it won't be but obviously a sponsor could be linked to us when it does come out after Christmas. Our present concern is that as British champions in our respective divisions both Elaine and I have qualified to represent Great Britain at the Canada Worlds 2003 and at present the flights are still not reserved."

Anyone able to sponsor the pair should contact Elaine on 07739 614585.