EXHIBITION organiser turned author Jack Ballentyne has used his experiences from travelling all over the world and finding himself in some tricky situations to write a book.

Mr Ballentyne, 53, from Conock, near Devizes is now selling his travel story called The Gap Life and is giving some of the proceeds to Julia's House children's hospice charity.

He said: "It's a compilation of totally true anecdotes detailing my travels over the past thirty years. I guess, if you crossed Palin with Bryson, and threw in some fireworks, then this is it.

"Normally, I would never have contemplated writing a book, but continued pressure from friends and family finally prompted me to put pen to paper. It appeared that my stories were damned funny, as I told them, thus, I have written the book in the same style, so it's pretty blunt.

"I started it five years ago, when living in France, and only finished it in Ko Samui last February."

He said the stories range from his early days growing up in Devon to violence in South Africa and hunting for oil and women in South America. It also tells of the heartache of ending a relationship with a woman when his need for travel meant they had to part.

Earlier in the book there is also the tale of how he broke up with his wife who he claims turned into a 'she devil.'

He settled near Devizes 18 months ago in a bid to get back into the English way of life. He said: "My mother and sister live here too. I have no actual family, being a traveller, the two don't really mix.

"The book includes a number of well known people, Michael Palin, Jeremy Clarkson, Johnny Wilkinson, all of whom I have met. I've also despatched a copy to David Attenborough - we have been in post communication, and the book does send a message concerning our planet."

He has produced 250 copies of the book and is selling it at Devizes Books for £6.99 as well as at fairs and in other local businesses. But he is finding his need to travel too great a pull to stay settled for long and is planning to set off again in January.