SELF-confessed salad dodger Ted Sayers has been eating pies for Blackburn as he bids to be crowned the Real Bloke of England 2003.

After winning a regional final, the 30-year-old is representing the town in the national final of a competition run by canned meat and pie firm Fray Bentos.

Since his triumph last month, Ted has travelled to London to record a series of radio ads and taken part in a glitzy photo shoot dressed as Tarzan for a tongue-in-cheek poster campaign which hits Blackburn on Monday.

It will encourage local people to back him in a phone and text vote and has already earned him the nickname Tarzan Ted -- Lard of the Jungle, from his mates!

Instead of using preened male models to promote its products, the firm has been searching for 'real men', or as they say 'good, honest, hardworking fellas; men who enjoy a decent feed, don't worry about their weight or what their hair looks like!'

Ted, of Brownhill Drive, is taking on other regional winners.

And publicity generated by the competition has gained them an invitation to appear on Richard and Judy and Melinda Messenger's daytime TV show next month.

He said: "The photo shoot was great fun and the other lads are all great. It's going to be really weird seeing my face all over the place and hearing myself on the radio every day. I just hope local folk get behind me and get voting."

Now Ted, an office manager at Brownhills, Whalley New Road, stands to win a holiday to Florida if he scoops the national title.

The regional heat involved 23-stone Ted taking on others in four gruelling rounds testing strength, mental agility, personality, beauty, and finally the 'Pie-o-meter' where the crowd's cheers were judged.

To vote for Ted call 0845 456 1099 or text 'vote ted' to 83080 from Sunday to register a vote. Phone lines are open for four weeks.