HE MAY still be in school, but Devizes youngster Callum Perkins showed that his strength is a class apart as he set two new British records in his first-ever competition.

The 15-year-old, who only began training with his father Andy at Devizes Powerlifting Club earlier this year, travelled to the British Drug-Free Powerlifting Association’s South West Full Power Championships in Plymouth on November 7 and returned having sent records tumbling in his wake.

Perkins, who only weighed 48kg on the day, completed a 50kg bench press and 125kg deadlift – both British records in the junior teenage class – as well as a 90kg squat to make up an overall total of 265kg.

The youngster’s show-stopping competitive start also qualified him for next year’s BDFPA British Full Power Championships in King’s Lynn, which take place in February, and club-mate and coach Vince Minty was blown away by Perkins’ debut.

“Callum’s dad Andy has trained with us for a little while and it was just a natural thing for him to get involved with us,” said Minty.

“He’s been training for about 8 months now and this was his first competition.

“He’s only a slightly-built lad and he only weighed about 48kg, so for him to lift those weights was amazing.

“It’s unusual for somebody to go and do so well in their first competition and it’s going to be great to see what Callum can do next time.”

Minty, 47, also qualified for next year’s British Championships in Plymouth after recording a 205kg squat, 150kg bench press and 247.5kh deadlift (602.5kg total).

Devizes powerlifting club currently boast eight members and with the European Full Power Championships also taking place in Weston-super-Mare in April 2016, Minty is anticipating a busy start to the year.

He added: “The way it’s going, we should have a few people at the British Champs and three or four at the Europeans, which is great for the club.”