Aylesbury prison officer is among the UK's strongest men

A prison officer working at the institution in Aylesbury has established himself as one of the strongest men in the UK.

Sam Duthie who works at HMP Aylesbury competes across the country in strongman competitions.

Just two years ago he finished second in England’s Strongest Man.

Due to his jaw-dropping feats of strength, which include dragging lorries with his bare hands, Sam could be considered the UK’s toughest prison officer.

Speaking to The Mirror, the imposing prison officer said: “I thought it would be an issue, but it hasn't been at all. Although I am big, once the prisoners get to know me, they realise that I am just a friendly giant. I am a very calm and very level-headed person, and I think that is what wins prisoners' respect.

"When it comes to being a good prison officer, it doesn't matter if you are big or small. The best people I have seen in the role have great communication skills. If you can talk to and read people, it doesn’t matter what size you are."

In a wide-ranging interview with the newspaper he went on to discuss how appearing on national television made him a minor celebrity with Aylesbury inmates.

All of them were aware that Sam would be showcased on Channel Five during the UK’s Strongest Man contest.

He has worked at the Aylesbury prison, which needs ‘immediate support to mitigate risk to prisoners and the community’, according to a recent official inspection, for six years.

The 33-year-old has been training for 12 years and testing himself against other giant men in official competitions for the past decade.

He added: “I said to mum, 'that's what I want to do when I get older' and she thought it was a pipedream that would pass. But all I could think about in school was lifting cars and pulling lorries.

“So when I was at the right age to do so, at the age of 18, I entered my first competition and haven't looked back.Thankfully I don't have any war stories like some of the athletes who have literally broken their back or limbs. From my perspective, the challenge is trying to balance my life at work and competing.”