FORMER champion boxer David Starie has been appointed a fire liaison officer, at West Suffolk College, in Bury St Edmunds.

The new role aims to give students a positive role model from a uniformed professional background working alongside them.

Starie, former Commonwealth and British super-middleweight champion, has worked for the Fire Service for 15 years, eight of them in Bury.

He said: “When this job came up I absolutely jumped at it. Some very good candidates went for the job and I was thrilled to be offered the position.”

Starie is the third fire liaison officer to be appointed in Suffolk and will promote fire safety within a college.

He works in the School of Participation one day a week and outside college has undertaken several challenges for charity including a running club for young people in Bury and an instructor as an amateur boxing instructor.

Sherry Fry, head of School of Participation said: “Already, David is doing some fantastic work.”