YORK’S answer to Arnold Schwarzenegger - former bodybuilder and York gym owner Brian House - has died from Covid.

Brian, 82, of Dringhouses, who got to know future Hollywood action star Arnie while competing in tournaments in the 1960s, still worked out, and was fit and healthy, when he fell ill, said his son Paul.

Paul said he was "absolutely heartbroken" and paid tribute to "the best dad a boy/man could ever wish for".

He said: “I honestly thought he had at least 10 more years in him, so it’s been such a shock how fast this horrible disease took him.”

He said anybody wishing to wave goodbye to his dad, who couldn’t come to the Chapel or Crematorium because of Covid restrictions, could do so at about 12.45pm on Wednesday, February 10, in Fishergate, York.

He said that was where his dad’s first gym, the Brian House Health Studio, was based, at the location where the Mecca Bingo hall is situated nowadays.

“This was where my dad and his family started our gym/fitness journey in York,” he said.

“We all have fantastic memories of that place and know a lot of you will too.

"So it seems fitting even though the gym is long gone that we should pass there on my dad’s last journey.”

He added: "When all this madness is over, we will organise a do so everybody can celebrate my dad’s life.”

Paul also thanked everyone who had shown his family love and support after Brian had died, leaving his widow Grace and two children, himself and his sister Julie.

The Press reported in August 2018 how Brian, who also ran Atlanta Health and Fitness in Clifton Moor and Olympia in Layerthorpe, had turned 80 but wasn’t planning to give up pumping iron any time soon.

He said then that he worked out three times a week and even turned up at the gym on his milestone birthday, before hitting the town with a group of friends.

He said he had got into bodybuilding when he was about 14 and was encouraged by an ex-Army PT instructor.

Brian later became an Army PT instructor himself and only gave up competing seriously when he was 60.

He scooped fourth place in the Mr Universe tournament - the same year that big Arnie took the crown in his first major competition win - and Brian also won both Mr Yorkshire and Mr Britain in his time.

He said he didn’t compete against Arnie directly, as they were in different classes, but the future movie star was a nice guy.

“You could tell he was going to go a long way,” said Brian.

“He couldn’t speak much English, but I served in Germany in the Army so I knew enough German to chat to him.”

Brian also warranted a paragraph in the star’s autobiography.

Brian told The Press in 2018: “I just train for myself now and I’ll probably do it till I die.

“It’s not about the bodybuilding any more, it’s about keeping yourself fit and keeping your body in good condition.

“We have people here [at the gym] in their 90s!”