THERE'S nothing like life on the ocean wave, according to sailor Craig Green.

But the 28-year-old has reluctantly agreed to stay on dry land to recruit others from his native Teesside to the Navy.

Craig, from Billingham, is spending 18 months working in the armed forces careers office in Middlesbrough.

The former sea cadet went to work in a butcher's shop on leaving school, but had enough after just two weeks.

"I realised it was not for me,'' he said. "I wanted to travel, see the world and gain good qualifications.

"The Navy gave me the opportunity to do that.'' Now a leading operator mechanic working with high-tech sonar equipment, Craig said: "I think life in the Navy is excellent and I would advise anyone to try it as a career.

"The great thing about it is that you don't need experience. A lot of the time people are leaving school with good qualifications but employers don't want them because they have no experience.''

He left school with six GCSEs, all at D Grade. While at sea he re-sat them and got Grade As for all of them.