AN Ipswich member of the Royal Marines is facing a new challenge today - the bobsleigh track. Corporal John Jackson, 30, works in the Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) on Silent Street in Ipswich during normal working hours, but outside of work he competes at prestigious sporting events with the Great Britain bobsleigh team.

AN Ipswich member of the Royal Marines is facing a new challenge today - the bobsleigh track.

Corporal John Jackson, 30, works in the Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) on Silent Street in Ipswich during normal working hours, but outside of work he competes at prestigious sporting events with the Great Britain bobsleigh team.

The culmination of his first season in bobsleigh saw him competing in the World Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland, where his team, GB2, finished ninth in the world, with GB1 finishing fifth.

And since the world championships his bobsleigh success has gone from strength to strength, winning three gold, two silver and a bronze medal this season.

He also recently made his World Cup debut as a two man bob driver.

And although he's now back working in the Ipswich AFCO he is already training and preparing for the next season.

He said: “It's fantastic being given the opportunity to compete in a sport such as bobsleigh and to be able to represent my country at such a high level.

“Working in Ipswich AFCO means that I am able to spend more time training for the bobsleigh competitions than if I had been attached to a Commando company, but life's still quite hectic.”

Corp Jackson, who lives in Ipswich with his three children, joined the Royal Marines in 1996 as a physical training instructor and his career has taken him all over the world, from the west coast of America to the west coast of Africa and the Middle East.

In 2000, he was awarded the General Service medal for Northern Ireland and is also a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee medal.