Being hacked to death by a machete-wielding gangster is all in a day's work for Tony Van Silva.

Next week the Hove stuntman will appear to come to a sticky end in a TV documentary about East End gangster and actor John Bindon.

Tony will play John Darke, who was killed during a fight with Bindon in a pub in Putney in the Seventies.

Tony said: "I get stabbed six times in the chest and hit in the back with a machete. It's pretty violent stuff."

This is nothing Tony, 51, isn't used to.

In his 16-year career as a stuntman he has been shot, stabbed, pushed down stairs and blown up.

He has taken his chances in blockbusters such as Patriot Games and Batman, as well as the British soap Brookside.

The former professional wrestler said: "I always seem to play the loser. I do get beaten up a lot. But I really enjoy the job - it's good fun and I get to meet some interesting people."

Monday's documentary, called Starring John Bindon, is part of Carlton's Real Crimes Series.

It chronicles the life of Bindon, who counted among his friends the Kray twins and Princess Margaret.

Bindon, played by former London's Burning star John Alford, served several prison sentences and was famed for his party trick - which involved hanging beer glasses off a certain part of his anatomy.

Philip Braund, who produced the documentary, said: "He was probably the hardest man in London."

Bindon was working for the Krays when he was spotted by the British director Ken Loach in a London pub.

Loach wanted a real-life gangster for a part in the 1967 film Poor Cow and he chose Bindon for the role.

After his performance in Poor Cow, which also starred Terence Stamp, Bindon went on to star in Performance with Mick Jagger and Get Carter with Michael Caine. He also had parts in The Sweeney and Minder.

Tony's part in the documentary is towards the end of Bindon's story.

At the time, Bindon was arrested and acquitted of Darke's murder at the old Bailey, where Bob Hoskins appeared as a character witness. Bindon died of Aids in 1993.

Tony said: "We used a 'moody machete' which was made of wood for the fight scene. And I wore a back pad for when they started swinging it at me."

Starring John Bindon will be shown on Carlton on Monday at 11pm.