Tri-Service

Rick Clement: The New Milk Tray Man?

Remember the Milk Tray Man? Throwing himself off a cliff or into a shark-infested sea to deliver a box of chocolates?

The search is now on for a modern-day hero to give the role a new twist.

One of those hoping to win is former Sergeant Rick Clement, of the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment, who lost his legs after stepping on a bomb in Afghanistan.

Despite his injuries, Rick lives life to the full. He’s an expert jetskier who plans to jetski solo around Britain next year.

Last summer, he swam a mile in open water, using just his arms – one of which was badly damaged in the bomb blast. Most importantly, he spent the last year learning to walk again, after five years in a wheelchair.

More From Forces.tv:Rick Clement Uses Exoskeleton On Path To Cenotaph

Why? Not just for himself, but to lay a wreath on Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, including the friends he lost from his own regiment.

So will he fit the bill?

Just I want to put all the ladies minds at rest. I HAVE APPLIED TO BE THE NEXT MILK TRAY MAN!
— Rick Clement (@SgtClem) October 22, 2015

The Milk Tray makers say,

“What we want from today's Milk Tray Man is someone that is thoughtful and goes the extra mile to put a smile on our face."

"With an application process that's open to all, we're confident we'll find a modern-day hero and new star of our ads - a thoughtful and daring individual that's ready to step up to the mark and take on this iconic role."

Rick has an army of supporters. His incredible walk at the Blackpool Cenotaph was watched by thousands in person and seen by half a million more on social media. His thoughtful act of tribute touching the hearts of thousands.

“I just did it for the boys,” he told us. “They would want to be where I am now, injured or not, and I wanted to show my respect for everything they did.”

Every step he took that day was exhausting and painful, but proved to be inspirational for all those touched by war.

Now Rick plans to put on the iconic black polo neck and show the judges what he can do. He said:

“I’m like a box of Milk Tray myself. A tough nut, with a bit of a soft centre. I just want to prove that modern day action men come in lots of different packages.”

You can see our special documentary, Rick Rebuilt: A Soldier’s Journey here.

And Rick's not the only hopeful to come from the forces world.

Also vying for the coveted role is Alun Pepper, who's dived with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, studied martial arts in Japan and become a qualified freefall skydive instructor - all on top of doing his day job as an RAF fast jet weapons system officer.

But the samurai sword wielding, bunjee-jumping, testosterone head's biggest battle came in 2006, when he successfully battled testicular cancer.

He now raises awareness by "talking b***ocks", and last year fought off more than 1,000 applicants to be named 'Britain's Manliest Man'.