A Chelmsford bodyguard risked his life to rescue a man and his wife from the clutches of three drunken tourists at a Thai cocktail bar.

Stuart Easton, 34, who runs The Works fitness studio, intervened because he believed that they were in extreme danger.

He needed hospital treatment after being attacked by the thugs while acting as a personal bodyguard to millionaire British businessmen on holiday in Thailand.

Stuart, who is also a doorman at the Dukes Experience nightclub, stepped in when the heavily built trio began hurling insults and ice cubes at the English man and his wife in the tourist beach resort of Pattaya.

He said on returning to the UK last week: "The husband looked petrified and even I was scared because they were more muscular than me. The biggest man suddenly walked over threateningly towards us, so I tried to calm the situation."

Stuart said that he tried to pacify the drunks, feigning an interest in their physiques and challenging them to an arm-wrestling contest.

But one of the bullies boasted of his prowess as a bare-knuckle prizefighter, threatened to flatten him with a single blow and threw a punch.

"I managed to knock him down before being jumped by his mates," said Stuart. "I was knocked out cold with a bottle to the back of my head,

Stuart said that he intervened because he hates bullies and disliked the way that the English tourist was being humiliated in front of his wife.

"My work as a doorman has taught me how to handle tense situations and I knew that the drunks would not leave the couple alone and could inflict injury unless they were stopped," he said.

Police arrested the three men and Stuart went to hospital. He was released after medical attention to cuts over his left eye, to the back of his head and to his chin.

"I am not looking for a medal and I would do it again because I hate big bullies," he said. "When I saw them throwing ice cubes at the husband, it was like a bully kicking sand in the face of the small guy."

Stuart Easton.

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