A mother-of-three from Kingswood will be hoping to turn heads as she flexes her muscles on the world body building stage next week.

Jo Sperring, who lives in Field Road, Kingswood, will join junior Mr Great Britain, Daniel Barry, 20, also from Kingswood, for the competition in Slovakia.

The 39-year-old, who works as a security guard and with children in a local gym, said she already attracts attention around the city with people unused to seeing a female body builder.

"I've just been in the supermarket and people were looking at me but usually they don't come up to me – I don't care, I chose to look like this", she said.

Her fascination with the discipline started as a bet 12 years ago and, since then, she has literally gone from strength to strength.

She said: "A friend had a spare ticket to a body building show at the Victoria Rooms in Park Street years ago so I thought 'OK, I'll go along'. I was taking the mickey out of some of the women on the stage and my friend turned around and said 'you couldn't do any better', that was it. I said that next year it would be me on that stage. Then I got the bug and I was hooked."

Ms Sperring will be representing the country after she won Miss Great Britain at the competition in Southport last weekend. It is the first time she has won the title despite winning the West Britain title for the last four years on the trot. Along with Daniel, she makes up a third of the British team going to the competition.

Putting in gruelling training sessions seven days a week and following a punishing diet, the 5ft 8in mother-of-three said she believes hard work is the only road to success.

Surprisingly, she said she finds the worst part of the competition dressing up to perform the choreographed dance.

She said: "I feel like a right tart, I'm caked in makeup, six layers of fake tan, pretty things in my hair, a bikini and high heels – that is not me at all. What you see is what you get. For the dance routine I performed to Beyonce's Single Ladies, but that bit always makes me feel awkward and clumsy."

But despite her reservations, she said she had the backing of her partner Bryan and three children aged seven, 11 and 18.

"Bryan works out as well but he doesn't compete. He's proud of me and the boys are, too. My eldest thinks its quite cool. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and it's not quite sunk in – I'm still floating."

The competition in Southport was a treble success for Bristol, with David Guest, 31, being pipped to the crown of Mr Great Britain. He and Daniel will both compete at the Mr Universe competition in October this year.

Team sponsor Mike Croot, who owns Trojan Fitness, also a former body building champion, said he was thrilled with the success of the team.

"It's brilliant that they make up such a large part of the British team, and that they will be going to Mr Universe – it's a great result for Bristol."