A Chorley soldier has taken time off from his normal duties with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to teach bobsleigh in Canada.

Sergeant John Baldwin, 40, from Adlington, has just spent time teaching the skeleton bobsleigh to soldiers on the army's week long ice camp at the Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

He has been teaching them on the same run used in the 1988 Winter Olympics made famous by the Hollywood film Cool Runnings.

Skeleton bobsleigh involves riders completing a timed run on a lightweight frame, known as the skeleton because it is basically a frame with runners and offers very little protection.

The riders travel head first and use their body weight to 'steer' down the course. Riders can reach speeds of up to 80 miles per hour.

Sgt Baldwin said: "I have been competing in the skeleton for both the army and for the Great Britain team since 1999 and have had a great time.

"The army has been brilliant at giving me time off to compete so it is great to give something back to the younger guys. It has been really rewarding teaching the novices, and the improvement from their first nervous run at the beginning of the week to sliding from the top station at the end is incredible.

"I would love to continue to teach and compete for the Army in the future."