BASINGSTOKE Powerlifting Club claims to be the best in the country.

The small club, which meets and trains at Basingstoke Sports Centre, now boasts one world and seven British champions after a successful day at Chester.

The recent assisted national championships, where competitors are allowed to use strapping, knee supports and bandages, produced four champions and one silver medallist from the five local club members who went.

Andy Bonner, the world and British under-90kg champion, said: "We have between 15 and 20 members but only a hardcore of about a dozen, so we think we can claim to be the most successful club in the country.

"When you're training with people at that level, you raise your game."

Among their seven national champions, Basingstoke have two unique family pairings.

Bonner's son George entered his first competition and become junior under-60kg champion, with all his elements and his total personal best lifts.

Twin brothers Paul and Pete Bedford, both former amateur boxers, were among the four new champions.

"We've checked the record and we don't think there's been a father and son holding British titles in the same year," said Andy Bonner.

George, who is 14, achieved a squat of 72.5kg, a bench-press of 47.5kg and a dead-lift of 120kg, which, remarkably, is twice his own body weight. The 240kg total gave him the junior gold.

Paul Bedford won the senior under-60kg crown after a squat of 80kg, a bench-press of 75kg and a lifetime best dead-lift of 150kg for a 305kg total.

Pete Bedford, a former under-23 champion returning after a back injury, won the under-67.5kg title with a squat of 175kg, a bench-press of 120kg and a dead-lift of 205kg for a total of 500kg.

The under-125kg bodyweight class gave Basingstoke a first and second.

British bobsleigh squad member Scott Harding took the gold, in his first year of powerlifting competition, with a squat of 280kg, a bench-press of 155kg and a dead-lift of 245kg, for a total of 680kg.

Runner-up to Harding was another new Basingstoke member, Rob Mackenreth. He achieved a squat of 190kg, a bench-press of 130kg and a dead-lift of 210kg for a total of 530kg.

The four new British champ-ions join Bonner and George Stoneman, who won the under-100kg masters title at Letchworth three weeks before.

Clubmate Jean Maton is the British women's under-82.5kg of the last two years.