Journalists are used to facing hostility from the public at times – but one regional press reporter has taken bravery to new limits by training as a football referee.

Guy Walker, of the Lincolnshire Echo, decided to join the ranks of the men in black partly because he was “looking for something to do at weekends.”

He officiated at his first game last weekend after achieving the rare feat of getting 100pc in the Football Association exam.

It generated a two-page spread in the Echo last weekend while a video of Guy in action will shortly be appearing on the paper’s online sports portal www.sportsecho.co.uk.

Said Guy: “I did it partly because I thought it would make an interesting set of features. Here at the Lincolnshire Echo sports desk we like to take up challenges and give different sports a go, as these tend to provide more interesting features than simply writing about a sport.

“In the past colleagues have trained with an American football team and the local women’s football team, and we put together a team of men to take on a local netball club.

“I also had a personal interest in take up refereeing. I play cricket in the summer, but apart from kick-arounds with work colleagues, don’t play a sport regularly in winter, so I was looking for something to do at weekends.

“Although I’m not a bad player, I didn’t fancy getting kicked around by the thugs who purport to be defenders in the local Sunday Leagues, so I thought I’d give refereeing a go. I’d much rather get an ear-bashing from players than bruised shins.”

Guy’s first game in charge proved a somewhat bizarre experience, with the only goal of the match coming from a penalty taken and scored by the goalkeeper.

The Lincolnshire Football Association has praised the Echo’s coverage as, like other FAs around the country, it is desperate to recruit more referees.