Former dairy farmer Mark Atkinson decided to diversify his business 15 years ago after one of his customers mentioned that he was taking part in an historical re-enactment.

Since then he has been training stunt horses, based at the Asselby Grange Livery Yard, for the television and film industry, and public displays.

And Mark will be taking a 14-year old cob called Ted to the latest event which is taking place at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire this Sunday and Monday.

He said: "It's a great place and a fantastic event. You need a horse that isn't overwhelmed by excitement at an event like that and Ted is doing really well."

Some of Mark's horses have already featured on television screens, including on almost a daily basis for the advertisement for Virgin Trains.

They have also been in the recent television costume drama Lillies and are set to appear in the new Brideshead Revisited film.

Mark and his wife Jill still offer a livery service and riding school at their Eastrington farm but admitted it has offered an interesting change.

"At first it was all very new to us and the horses.

"So to help with the training we had to get friends from the village to improvise by banging and clattering dustbin lids and things to try to recreate the noise and chaos of a battlefield."

Locally, Mark's experience of jousting has enabled him to offer a wider range of lessons to young riders.

He added: "Little lads who come for lessons really love the jousting as it's something different and exciting, but also makes them feel quite tough."