Strongest man 'humbled' by support after injury

England's strongest man says he is humbled and overwhelmed after friends and fans helped fund surgery for an injury that could have ended his career.

Kane Francis, from Weymouth, snapped a tendon in his thigh during training, and was told he needed urgent treatment costing £15,000.

Knowing Francis could not afford the operation, friend and fellow competitor Evans Nana launched an appeal, raising almost £12,000.

Francis, 32, is now recovering and is already eyeing the title of Britain's Strongest Man in 2026.

Eight years ago, Francis weighed about 11.5 stone (73kg), but his life and physique changed dramatically after he began powerlifting and strongman training.

"I fell in love with it," he told BBC Radio Solent. "As soon as I started training, I got strong quite quickly.

"It became a real passion of mine and I've never looked back.

"It takes up all of my time. If I'm not working, I'm training. If I'm not training, I'm sleeping or cooking."

In 2021, his focus shifted to strongman contests and, last summer, Kane "the Hurrikane" Francis was crowned England's Strongest Man.

But by the new year, his meteoric rise had come to an abrupt halt.

While performing a log lift, he felt his adductor tendon "snap off" his pelvis.

He said: "I was in the gym. I felt fine.

"I pressed the log, my hips came forward, and it just stretched it and it snapped.

"It's a weird feeling. You'd think it would be really painful but it's not.

"It was the feeling of an elastic band snapping in my leg so I instantly knew what I'd done.

"You can see on the [Instagram] video, my leg shoots to the side and I lose all internal rotation in my leg."

Francis was told, unless he underwent surgery within three weeks, his tendon would shrink, along with his chances of recovery.

Nana, a Belgian-based Ghanaian strongman and close friend, immediately suggested launching an online fundraiser to pay for private treatment but Francis was reluctant.

"I said, I don't want to ask for handouts, but he went ahead and set one up and within 24 hours there was £5,000 in there.

"It was really overwhelming for me, and quite humbling.

"I knew I had followers and fans but I never imagined I'd get that kind of support.

"It went up to just shy of £12,000."

Less than two weeks on from surgery, Francis says his recovery is going well and he hopes to resume training in four months.

"I will be in the gym before then for rehab work," he said.

"This year is obviously a write-off but I will be going to Britain's [Strongest Man] in 2026, and that will get me back to the World's, hopefully."

You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.