Grandfather Norman Fox has become the oldest ever Green Beret at the age of 55.

Mr Fox went head to head with soldiers more than 30 years younger in the gruelling 30 week Royal Marines Training course.

He endured an arduous assault course and treacherous mountain yomps as part of the course which is recognised as the toughest in the world.

But the fearless Geordie came through to win the coveted cap and enter the record books.

Mr Fox, a grandfather-of-three, said: "The whole thing took four months and it was very tough. When it was over there was a real sense of relief and achievement.

"Most of the other lads were about 18 to 24, and were amazed at how fast I was over the ground," he said.

Born in Blakelaw, Newcastle, Mr Fox joined the Army when he was 17 and spent 20 years in the Parachute Regiment, rising to the rank of captain.

He left when he was 50 to pursue a career at Brighton College but returned as a reserve last year.

Startling achievements are nothing new to Mr Fox, who has had two other entries in the Guinness Book of Records, as well as an MBE.

In 1982, he set a world record for non-stop walking of 401 miles by trekking round a field 630 times in five days.

Then, a year later, he walked from Lands End to John O'Groats in a then record time of 12 days and 21 hours.

Despite these successes, he has refused to rest on his laurels, and said his remaining ambitions are to climb Mount Everest and to walk across Australia.