A chance meeting resulted in one Hampshire man being hired as a bodyguard for one of history’s most iconic leaders.

Chris Lubbe has simply his height to thank for catching the eye of Nelson Mandela, who was so impressed by his stature that he offered him the job of protecting his life there and then.

For the next eight years the then freedom fighter from South Africa was the shadow of Mandela, always by his side, as the leader continued on his mission to unite a country.

Chris, who now lives in Fareham, was one of 24 bodyguards who had the responsibility of protecting Mandela between 1990 and 1998.