EAST Hampshire showjumping superstar Peter Charles will return to his home this week, the proud possessor of an Olympic Gold medal.

The 52-year old helped his team deliver Great Britain's first Olympic showjumping in 60 years in front of an emotionally-charged audience in Greenwich Park on Monday.

Riding 10-year old Dutch gelding, Murka's Vindicat W, Charles had failed to go clear in any of his three previous rounds but, in a golden jump-off against Holland, following clear rounds by team mates Nick Skelton and Ben Maher, Scott Brash's horse Hello Sancto downed a fence, leaving it down to Charles to secure victory.

As the arena fell into hushed silence, Charles, from Bentworth, near Alton, showed extraordinary cool, risking time penalties as he favoured a steady, deliberate approach, leaving no room for error as he tackled each of the eight fences one by one. He punched the air in triumph as he cleared the final fence to ear-splitting applause.

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.