SURFBOARDER Stuart Ballard has an extra special reason to keep his balance when he rides the bore this spring...crocodiles!

He doesn't , of course, mean the Severn bore. The man who cut his surfing teeth riding the tide at Newnham is off to Malaysia next month to try his hand at surfing a huge bore which runs into the River Batang Lupar.

Stuart and colleagues have been invited to attempt to surf the bore, known in the Batang Lupar as the banak. The group will also attend the annual Tidal Watching Festival which coincides with the biggest tide of the year, known as the King tide.

The tide, says Stuart, gives local boatmen an opportunity to show off their skills to tourists as they surf the banak in longboats. But, he has been told, he should watch out for crocodiles!

To make sure tourists are safe locals spend several days flushing crocodiles out of the river ahead of the arrival of the biggest tides.

Stuart will be using a board specially made for him by local boardmaker Mike Clements. It will have an illustration of Sabrina, goddess of the Severn.

He said: "The idea is that we ride the banak and then return home to tell other surfers who may like to try the experience. I will certainly be flying the flag for Gloucestershire ...even with the teeth of a crocodile in my backside!."