Graham Gough, a former photographer at Wolverhampton’s Express and Star and the Mirror Group, experienced ‘gunfire, gales and hard graft’ on his four-day adventure.

He was part of a crew of the 200ft brig Stavros S Niarchos, owned by the Tall Ships Youth Trust, which set off from Falmouth and sailed along the Cornish and Devon coast to the English Channel before ending at Brixham.

Graham, who was a newspaper photographer for 45 years and still does some freelance work, was bought the trip as a 70th birthday present by his wife Mary, although he was 71 before taking up the experience.

There were just 22 travellers joining the ship’s regular crew instead of the usual 48 and Graham’s duties included scrubbing the decks, look-out and gang-plank duty and steering the ship.

He said: “We were split into watches – and, because there were fewer of us, we had to work even harder. We were absolutely shattered.

“It was an exhilarating experience and I realised a life-long ambition, making new friends and learning new skills.

“I can recommend it to anyone of my age as long as they are fit, have got a head for heights and will have a go at any chore.”

At one point on the voyage, the skipper was ordered by a Royal Navy patrol boat to change course, as a warship on a training exercise could be heard firing live ammunition nearby.