The invite promised a lot and I am happy to report that the best men - Joe and Floody - delivered in spades.

The weekend was billed as "Shoot the Stag" and six hours into the proceedings none of the Stag party (bar Rob perhaps!) could complain about the lack of opportunity to blow his head clean off! A morning of clay pigeon shooting was followed up with a generous helping of paint balling, during which Rob had only an ironing board for company.

That latter point might surprise some on first reading, but for Rob it was simply part of a leisurely wander down memory lane, back to the Lympston and his four week holiday at the Royal Marine Summer Camp. It is an old story admittedly, but the story goes that the only things Rob learnt during his stay, were how to polish his shoes and iron his clothes.

Rob's original invite had included a number of rules including a detailed kit list that he should bring. When the ironing board was also issued, his instructions were amended with an order to ensure that the board never left his side.

And so it was that between the gun fire and the flying pellets, Rob stood shoulder to shoulder with his new best friend. Well that was until his final "death or glory" paintball run, when positions were amended somewhat and he actually stood a couple of feet behind his new best mate.

The evening was spent in Stratford upon Avon, where we started with a civilised dinner. Rob attended avec board and having almost set his wife's best friends on fire with a dawdling run around the dinner table (see photos!), he was presented with an electric iron and told to start ironing.

This he did, in a variety of different situations, and with a variety of results. The evening climaxed with Rob stark naked on stage, best friends in hand, swinging to the music, as he tried to fend off the attention of some strange local bloke dressed in a DJ.

Rob and the best men did themselves proud. Thanks for a cracking time.