A FORMER member of the British Army overcame personal injuries to become a skydiving champion and adventurer.

Alistair Hodgson, who lives in Milnthorpe, was born in Colchester near Warrington and is a former member of 3rd Battalion in the Parachute Regiment.

A regiment known as one of the toughest in the armed forces.

After suffering a serious injury in Northern Ireland in 1992, Alistair left the military and later went on to become a multi-time world champion skydiver along with his wife Pixie.

Most recently, he and a team of four other wounded veterans took part in a rowing challenge for charity which saw them complete a 70-mile channel crossing by way of Poole to Cherbourg.

Alistair said: “I’ve lived in Milnthorpe for about 25 years. It’s a lovely place to live and a really nice spot.

“I joined the Parachute Regiment in 1990. I always had it in my mind to become a Para, stemming from when I was 11 when me and my dad watched a program called 480 Platoon the Paras.

“My dad served in the military police for five years and he was also completed a parachute course and got his airborne wings.

“When I was 19, I applied and by the time I was 20 I was in training. I got a leg injury which set me back but I eventually got through to 3rd Battalion.

“I was injured in 1992 in Northern Ireland was medically discharged after that.

“I began skydiving a few years later and in March 2000 I did an accelerated free fall course in Nottingham.

“I really got into it and found something I really loved to do.

“The free fly competitions I got into, involved three of us, two performers and a camera man. Then we began a free style team with my wife who I met at the drop zone in 2000.

“We went onto win seven British Championships in a row, then won two bronze medals and silver at the world championships at the same time.

“We got married in 2006. The ceremony was in a hot air balloon and the minister was the balloon pilot. Then we said our vows and jumped out 5000ft up.

“The challenge we did from Poole to Cherbourg was amazing. Incredibly tough.

“We did two hours of rowing at a time, one hour off, then we rotated it between us.

“We had a few lads go down with sea sickness but none of them complained. We rowed for about 24 hours each.

“It felt like we had done nothing really special together.”

Alistair and his comrades have currently raised £61,512.

For donations visit justgiving.com/fundraising/pilgrimshop.