A scientist of more than 20 years is swapping the laboratory for the lifting platform after being selected to represent Scotland at an international competition.
Irene Hallyburton, of the University of Dundee, has spent decades developing drug compounds for life-threatening diseases such as malaria.
But the 49-year-old of Perth is now set to represent her country at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Canada.
She said: “I was playing roller derby at a high level in Edinburgh against 20-something-year-olds and the physical goal posts just kept moving so I picked up weight-lifting to stay one step ahead but then I went to support a friend at a powerlifting championship and thought to myself, hell I am already lifting those weights and that was it.
“Powerlifting is