The Vancouver man once known as the "world's strongest man" has died at the age of 75. Doug Hepburn was found dead in his Vancouver apartment on Thursday.

Hepburn was born in Vancouver in 1926. He was the only child of a single mother, and was born with a badly deformed foot that caused him to limp.

He started lifting weights at age 15. In 1953, Hepburn set a new world record in the heavyweight category at the world weightlifting championships in Stockholm. A year later, he won the heavyweight title in front of a home-town audience at the British Empire Games in Vancouver.

Following his weightlifting exploits, Hepburn turned to professional wrestling, and promoted fitness products on the Internet.

Hepburn was once asked about what youngsters should eat if they wanted to grow up to be big and strong.

To which the heavyweight replied, "twelve scrambled eggs, an entire sandwich loaf - toasted, and an entire chocolate cake washed down with a quart of milk."

The cause of Hepburn's death hasn't been determined. Police say there was no foul play.