Then you could be part of the challenge to rebuild the Portsmouth Action Field Gun team, which has moved to Hayling Island this month.

After two years without a permanent home, work has begun on transforming part of the Mill Rythe Holiday Village into a run where the lung-busting, muscle-aching and adrendalin-fuelled activity can be held with regular public demonstrations of the art.

The field gun is a tribute to the history of the Royal Navy's relief of Ladysmith during the Boer War at the turn of the last century.

The crew of HMS Powerful hauled the ship's guns up a hill to defend the town from attack during the South African war.

The Royal Navy used to equip three teams to take part in the annual televised Royal Tournament at Earl's Court up until it was axed in 1999.

Since then the Portsmouth Field Gun Association has kept the tradition alive but a series of problems over siting of the heavy guns and cables which are used to haul the 900lb gun barrels – capable of firing 12 pound cannonballs and whose wheels weigh 120lb - over the course.

The latter comprises five-foot walls and a 28-foot long chasm which must be negotiated on the wires which carry the artillery and the men who reassemble the guns and fire three rounds at the enemy before they carry out a rearguard retreat back across the chasm and fire again.

Finally, comes the 50-yard dash for home over the flat to the finish line.

The race normally takes less than 90 seconds to attack the enemy, 60 seconds to retreat and just 20 seconds to push the fully-assembled gun and carriage – weighing 1,250lb in total – over the finish line.

It is three minutes of physical torture. Injuries are common place with severed fingers not uncommon, and the danger of facial injuries if a breach misfires.

The team is trained by ex-Navy field gun instructor Peter Scott.

He said; "If one man messes up another man gets horribly injured, but there is no other buzz like taking part in the field gun run.

"We train hard two or three times a week – and our preparation for the displays is exhaustive. Everything can depend on a split-second decision.

"We have a core of the original members who can't wait to get cracking again after a couple of years in limbo.

"Ideally we would like to find some members who live on Hayling to join us."

Recruitment will take place in the coming month before the crew prepares for their summer displays which take place from May to October.

You can find out more by calling Peter on 9278 1380.