Former paratrooper from Clevedon off to Panama

A former paratrooper who has become Clevedon's answer to Ray Mears is off to Panama to spend Christmas living with a central American tribe.

Nick Gough, 48, has spent the last year training to become a bushcraft specialist, learning how to light fires using sticks and flint and survive on what he can catch and cook in the countryside.

Nick, a retained fire fighter in Clevedon, launched his own business – called Woodlanders – earlier this year to train others in the skill of living off the land and surviving in the wilderness.

The father of three spent a week earlier this year living as a castaway on Flatholm in the Bristol Channel, surviving with just the clothes he stood up in and a knife.

His latest adventure will see him jet off to the Darien region of Panama for two weeks in December where he will trek through the jungle before canoeing up the Chagres River to spend 10 days with the Embera tribe.

The tribe live in huts on stilts along the river and are fishermen and hunters, eating what they catch to survive.

Nick said: "This is probably my biggest challenge yet.

"I have spent time in the jungle in Belize when I was in the army, but nothing like this before and it will be really interesting to see how these people live and how they survive.

"I will be canoeing up the river and staying with a tribe who live by the riverbanks."

Nick will be spending Christmas Day itself with the tribe and is planning to take along a few surprises for his new friends.

Nick added: "I doubt there will be a traditional Christmas dinner on offer, but I am going to take them a Christmas pudding and a couple of festive crackers."

Nick learnt his survival skills after training with the Woodcraft School, based in East Sussex.

The school's main trainer is John Rider, who worked as a chief instructor with survival specialist Ray Mears.

He spent five days each month at the school, learning skills including friction fire lighting, water sourcing and purifying and shelter building.

He has also trained in remote first aid and map reading as well as game preparation to teach him how to capture wildlife, prepare it and cook it.

The course also included teaching students about plant identification so they know what plants and fungi are safe to eat while out in the wilderness.