John joined the Royal Navy aged just 16 years old. He served on two frigates, an aircraft carrier and spent a bit of time on a U.S Navy frigate.

As an electronic warfare specialist, John held one of the highest security clearances in the armed forces (TS Strap2).

He saw active service in Sierra Leone and in the Nato/Yogoslavia conflict (both in 1999).

After leaving the Royal Navy, John joined the Metropolitan Police and was based on a 999 response team in east London.

During the eight years that John spent in the Met (three as a special), he was awarded several commendations for bravery and professionalism.

John also spent just under two years as a volunteer in the RNLI. His time was spent on one of the busiest coastal stations in the UK. More recently, John has also spent some time in the Ambulance Service.