A HEREFORDSHIRE sports teacher has been crowned the Welsh body fitness champion for the second year in a row.

Andrea Evans won the trained figure class at the UKBFF Welsh Championships in Port Talbot, South Wales.

Thirty-year-old Evans has also just won the trained figure section of the EPF UK Open Championships in Halesowen.

She carried off the title from fellow Herefordshire competitor, Natalie Rouse, who took the runners-up spot.

Evans completed a double at the Halesowen event - she won the best presentation for her posing and fitness routine.

Evans, who is a PE teacher at John Kyrle High School in Ross-on-Wye, said: "Retaining the Welsh title has definitely been the highlight. It meant more to me this time around because I felt I had to prove that I was in a better condition than the previous year. I was thrilled because I was told that I had a nice lean body condition and good body symmetry. I had been training hard for the competition for the past year - and it certainly paid off."

Evans has been weight training for the past 12 years and was the British female powerlifting champion in 2002.

She gave up powerlifting after picking up too many injuries and decided to take up body fitness two years ago.

Evans, who lives in St Weonards, has been given advice on the sport by her brother, Mark Evans, a former Welsh bodybuilding champion.

She is hoping to be part of the English team for April's European Championships in Germany.

Evans keeps in peak condition by training around six times a week at Ross Health and Fitness Centre.

She lifts weights and does cardio work. She keeps her diet high in protein, moderate in carbohydrates and low in fat.

"You have to try to be as lean as you can and you have to be fully focussed on training and diet about 14 weeks out from each competition", explained Evans, originally from Llanelli, South Wales."My partner, Gary Wells, has the patience of a saint - he puts up with everything I put myself through and has been incredibly supportive."

Evans has introduced light resistance fitness classes to the staff at her school and is thrilled that it is having a positive effect.

Evans said: "My overall goal is to see how much I can achieve in the sport over the next two or three years and be a positive role model for the children and staff at the school."

She added: "I am absolutely thrilled with the way things have gone so far because I have entered three competitions - and managed to win each of them."

Natalie Rouse, from Hereford, has announced she will be moving up to the physique class for her next contest.

Rouse entered the body fitness section of the UKBFF Stars of Tomorrow competition in Hayes but was not placed in the top two.

"The judges have recommended that I should move up to the physique class - they thought I was too muscular for the body fitness section," she said.

"I am pleased because I now know what I have to do. I will start doing more weight training and less cardio."

The 24-year-old gym instructor wants to compete in the physique under-65kg section at the UKBFF South Coast event in Portsmouth in April.