A launderette owner is so mad on medieval history he even goes shopping in a suit of armour.

Jim Craig likes nothing better than walking down the aisles of Safeway loading up his trusty trolley.

The 43-year-old turned a few heads when he went shopping in full kit at Safeway in Tewkesbury during a battle re-enactment weekend.

He was accompanied by his wife, Jill, also 43, who was wearing a handmade dress copied from 15th Century clothes.

They got such a big reaction from shoppers that Jim repeated the feat at his hometown Safeway store in High Street, Worthing.

He said: "Some people couldn't believe what they were seeing, but they stopped and had a chat."

Jim and Jill also stunned fellow diners recently when they dressed up for a meal at their favourite restaurant, Le Gourmet, in Rowlands Road, Worthing.

Jim, who owns Suds launderette in Rowlands Road, became interested in knights when he attended a wedding with a medieval theme.

He has spent hundreds of pounds kitting himself out in a padded tunic, leg and arm armour, a helmet and two swords.

Jim and Jill now travel round the country with their daughter Jodie, 16, taking part in re-enactments.

However, fighting with fellow enthusiasts is not without its risks.

He said: "Even with the armour on you still end up with quite a few nasty bruises. But it is great fun.

"Because I don't wear a breastplate, if someone does come in a bit hard it can hurt, and once a pikeman cracked a couple of my ribs. ."

At the Battle of Tewkesbury re-enactment, Jim joined 800 others to mark the 1471 Wars of the Roses clash, when 2,000 soldiers were slain.

Jill watched, having camped overnight in a medieval tent and feasted on venison and boar.

She said: "I enjoy the chivalry, and it's nice to be treated like a lady occasionally. I would be quite happy to live like that permanently - but only if the sun was shining all the time."