HEREFORDSHIRE has its very own - if rather reluctant - knight in shining armour!

Staff at Derby House Stabling in Eardisley nominated their warehouse supervisor, Paul Beattie as 'hunk of the week' for a national women's magazine.

And, although somewhat embarrassed, he graced the pages on horseback in full jousting regalia.

Twenty-eight-year-old Paul from Hay-on-Wye started working at Derby House 11 years ago but swapped his fork-lift truck for a four-legged steed to become part of the Camelot theme park in Wigan.

"I was visiting a friend who was working there and they were looking for another rider and I thought it would be a good laugh," he said.

A keen rider since childhood, Paul spent his time jousting, dressing up and carrying out his 'knightly tasks' which took him as far afield as the US on a Camelot tour.

"We had a tremendous amount of fun during the season performing twice daily. The shows were extremely popular with the visitors."

On his return from the US, Paul took up several posts in the area but when he saw his former boss at Derby House he was offered his old job back.

"I'm a bit like a boomerang I suppose - the jousting and Camelot was just another chapter in my life, a bit of fun for a few seasons.

"Now I suppose everyone will be taking the mickey out of me again!"