HUDDERSFIELD man Andy Chattaway is on a mission to spread the word about Dutch pole leaping.

He made the pledge after returning from the sport's world championships.

Andy, 40, of Mount Pleasant in Thongsbridge, is British pole jumping champion and has competed in the contest for 13 years.

However, this year was his first in the veteran class.

He said: "I thought it would be easier but all the world champions have become veterans now, so it was tough."

Now he hopes to set up training facilities locally and perhaps start a club.

Pole leaping involves running along a wooden jetty, grabbing a pole, shinning up it and jumping over a stretch of water before landing in a sandpit when the pole finally topples over.

The distance is measured between the jetty and the part of the body which lands closest to the jetty.

Andy holds the British record with a leap of 14.29m.

This year, however, he jumped only 11.50m and brought home no trophies.

He said: "I was disappointed but will keep working on it."

Andy went to the Dutch event with friend Steve Moss, 38, of Brackenhall. Both are Kirklees community sports officers.

Steve took his 13-year-old stepson Thomas Blundell, who competed for the first time in the boys' class.

Steve jumped 10.28m in his attempt. Thomas did not make it across the purpose-built 12m-wide stretch of water.

Andy said he would improve with practice, but practice was difficult to get in the UK.

He said: "We have to practice each bit separately. We have to do running, pole climbing and jumping individually. It is so different when you have to do it for real."

Andy and Steve hope to build a facility in Huddersfield to practice pole leaping and aim to start a local club.