Bodybuilder forced to give up his career because of devastating bowel disease is now a fitness model - with a colostomy bag

Blake Beckford, 33, from Stratford-upon-Avon, suffers from the painful condition ulcerative colitis. The painful condition causes inflammation and ulceration of the inner lining of the rectum and colon, triggering symptoms such as diarrhoea and stomach cramps. A decade ago he was preparing to compete in a body-building competition when his symptoms prevented him from training and last October his health had deteriorated so much that he required surgery. Doctors removed his entire colon before fitting him with a stoma bag on the outside of his body to collect waste. He was warned that training would be dangerous but decided to go ahead anyway. Over the last six months he has bulked up to 13st 2lbs and has just appeared in ‘Men’s Fitness’ magazine. He said: 'I am determined to show people and society that having a stoma doesn’t change who you are. It doesn’t mean you’re not normal. You can achieve anything you want to do, you can be attractive, and you can lead a normal life.'