FORMER Green Howard Charlie "Spuggy" Wardell served in some hot spots in his time as a soldier.

He was with the regiment from 1948 until 1953 and by the time he left he had been in Suez, Malaya and Austria.

But by then he had caught the travelling bug so he decided to join the circus where he put on a different kind of uniform - as a clown.

For many years he was one of the top performers with Billy Smart’s Circus, entertaining generations of children with his antics.

But this week the former sergeant returned to his military roots when he journeyed to the regimental museum at Richmond see the Front Line to Fame exhibition that features Green Howards who have gone on to fame in other spheres.

He travelled from his home in Newcastle with his friend Colour Sergeant Jack Charlton, who was a Green Howard from 1949 to 1958 and served in Malaya, Austria and Germany before joining the Northumberland Fusiliers.

Museum curator Lynda Powell said: "It was a real privilege to welcome Spuggy and Jack, and to show them the special exhibition.

"If we’d known about the circus connection Spuggy would have been part of the exhibition."

She added: "It’s amazing that several former Green Howards took up roles in entertainment – not just Spuggy, but magician Paul Daniels and composer John Barry, for example."