HE IS well-known as a solid figure of authority, a lean, mean often military machine -- but actor Edward Peel beefed up all over when he was an actor at Bolton's Octagon!

The 57-year-old, who plays Station Commander John Coleman in ITV's London's Burning, reveals this in the current edition of Rosemary Conley's Diet and Fitness magazine.

He says that he is probably fitter now than he was 30 years ago because he has learned how to maintain his weight and keep up a healthy lifestyle.

"Probably the heaviest I have been was during the early '70s when I was starting out as an actor and working at the Octagon theatre in Bolton," he states.

"I think it was down to living on the wrong foods, like steak and kidney pies and black pudding, and far too many beers!

"I was eating late at night after work and not doing any exercise so the pounds piled on until I hit 16 stone.

"I didn't realise I had been putting on so much weight until I looked at myself in some photographs. It was as if I was seeing another person. I thought: "Who is that big pig?'"

So, he cut back on the beers and the heavy meals and his weight did drop. He is now 15 stone, which at 6' 3" is okay for his weight, and watches what he eats.

The actor also runs, about six miles every other day, and has taken part in marathons.

So, his weighty "run" at the Octagon certainly did not do lasting damage!