RISING at the crack of dawn and in the midst of a strict training regime, Kendal body-builder Helen Thwaites is well and truly in preparation mode ahead of this weekend's NPA British Trained Figure Finals.

The 37-year-old, who has amassed 18 titles since switching from gymnastics 15 years ago, qualified for the finals by winning the Best Trained Figure in the Tall Class at the 'The Mike William's Classic' in Batley earlier this month.

With six runner up places already under her belt, Thwaites, who trains up to three times a day at Pride Health and Fitness on Sandes Avenue, hopes to go one better when she makes the trip to Coventry this Sunday.

"It would be a dream come true to win the British Title," said Thwaites, a receptionist at the town's Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon.

"It’s quite difficult to gauge the sort of physique which is in favour. Styles and physiques seem to change as the years proceed. It’s almost like fashion where models who were stick thin in the earlier years now seem to be replaced with fuller shapely figures such as icons like J-Lo and Beyoncé, so I pretty much I call it luck and hope you’re what they are looking for at that point in time.

"At the moment it's work, sleep, eat and repeat. When you are running into a show you have to train hard. I am training before work, during dinner and when I finish work in the evening as well as eating a high protein, low carbohydrate diet."

Thwaites has been body-building and competing in the Miss Figure Class since 1999, representing the United Kingdom on several occasions in places such as Greece, Spain, Germany and Malta.

And the former Miss World admitted her delight at securing progress into the finals in West Yorkshire.

The competition was split into three rounds which involved comparing individuals' compulsory poses, routines which best display their physique and free-style posing.

"I was so happy to win this award for the second time," she said. "It has meant a great deal to me as I have been working hard towards this for the last year."

Thwaite's awards over the years:

3 x Miss Cumbria,

3 x Miss North West,

1 x Miss European & World,

4 x Miss UK

1 x England v Scotland Team,

1 x Miss Pendle Valley,

3 x Miss Northern,

2 x Miss Trained Figure - Mike Williams Classic