Hollywood movie glory for Mansfield boxing legend and former world champion Steve Ward

Ward, who is 67 next month, is no stranger to films after his 2017 life story The Champ of Champs won 41 international film awards, including the prestigious Cannes Film Festival

But multi-award winning writer and producer Keith Large, who was behind that film, called out of the blue to see if Ward fancied a go at comedy acting in his boxing reirement.

Agreeing to a part in comedy short Twin Leaps, alongside Dr Who actor Lauren Cornelius, he found himself flown out to the Shipton International Film Festival in Hollywood, where the film won top prize.

“One minutes I am the world champion and the next thing I know I am in Hollywood where we won a film festival,” he said.

“It was unreal. I have gone from boxer to actor.

“It was nice to do. Keith asked me to play the part of a newscaster, which is what I do on Mansfield radio, so it was a bit of a natural thing for me.

“We filmed it in Loughborough and I thought no more of it, and then he texted me saying we had won an award at the New York Film Festival.

“Then we won another two, and then he texted me to say we were in the final three of this Hollywood film festival, so we are going.

“I packed my bags and we had 12 days in Hollywood, wo won and it was lovely. I was in shorts while everyone here was freezing to death. Fun times and I would love to do another one.”

Ward's colouful life has also been immortalised in print in his autobiography The Legend.

He reached the compulsory retirement age of 65 two years ago but bowed out as a world champion after seeing off Romanian Adrian Parlogea – a man 15 years his junior – to claim the inaugural World Legends Boxing World Cruiserweight Championship at Mansfield Rugby Club – his first ever world title.

Ward first set the world record of oldest active boxer at the age of 55, twice breaking it himself.