A former regional daily reporter who had a sideline as a TV wrestler has written a book looking back on his extraordinary double life.

Roger Green began his working life as a trainee reporter on the Portsmouth News in 1959 and later worked for national newspapers.

But he combined his work as a journalist by day with working as a professional wrestler by night.

He eventually made it onto ITV during the heyday of the sport, and actually took on legendary grappler Mick McManus in four televised bouts.

Now Roger has published a no-holds-barred autobiography which lifts the lid on the sport during the 60s and 70s.

Entitled Memoirs of a TV Wrestler, it reveals the professional tricks of the trade, the men behind the masks, and the offbeat stories about some of the larger than life characters in the game.

Said Roger:  “My training in journalism on a quality evening newspaper in Portsmouth and later in London, gave me the experience and acumen to write something very personal and incisive, about my experiences in the wrestling business so I’m grateful for those early days.”

Roger, who wrestled at welterweight, also once appeared alongside Big Daddy as his partner in a mixed weight tag team match. He retired from wrestling in 1975.

He later moved to the Algarve where he continued to write for both English and Portuegese publications from his hilltop cottage.

Memoirs of a TV Wrestler’ is available to download as an e-book on amazon.co.uk.