A FEARLESS retired vet will be on a quest this summer to knock a jousting knight from his horse - in a bid to improve the plight of injured donkeys in Israel.

Stuart Easby, 57, who lives in the Stamford Bridge area, east of York, is calling for people to pledge essential "donkey items" - such as bandages and natural antiseptics for cuts and injuries - which would be transported to the Safe Haven For Donkeys in the Holy Land Sanctuary (SHD), at Gan Yoshiyya, near the towns of Netanya and Hadera.

Mr Easby, who now runs veterinary advice line One Call Advice Direct Vet, is hoping to go head-to-head with a knight at a jousting display at Pickering Castle in August and so raise the profile of the donkey sanctuary.

He said: "It's about doing something a bit mad to catch people's attention, and to encourage them to pledge their support to the sanctuary in Israel."

Mr Easby is already able to ride a horse, and has taken part in a jousting training session in Nottingham, but he is looking for someone to help him improve his upper body strength.

He said: "I've had my first jousting lesson, and I'm still in one piece, but I've got a long way to go. I've got to do something about my shoulders, arms and joints.

"The 15ft lance is really heavy - it's a bit like waving around a thumping great wand.

"It takes a bit of holding in the right place, especially when you're galloping towards someone, and you've got to remember to protect yourself with your shield. It really is entertaining stuff."

Mr Easby said he had no idea who he might have to contend with, but he said: "I'll be attempting to defeat the jousting equivalent of David Leonard (York Theatre Royal's traditional pantomime villain).

He visited the Israel sanctuary earlier this year to see what could be done from the UK to help the donkeys there.

SHD says when the donkeys - which have been used as working animals in Israel for 5,000 years - are sick, too old, or surplus to requirements, they are just left to fend for themselves.

Jousting - a popular spectacle in medieval times - usually involves a fight between armoured lance-carrying knights on horseback.

If you would like to lend your support to the donkeys at the Safe Haven sanctuary, go to www.doineedavet.co.uk.