LIKE another David before him, former chief petty officer David Rushforth proved a dab hand at slaying.

As one half of a Two Ronnies-tribute act - The Two Grimeys - on board the Royal Yacht Britannia during the 70s, Mr Rushforth, 52, of Kidderminster, proved a huge hit at making the Queen laugh.

Mr Rushforth, 52, of Chester Road, was one of the 36 crew who accompanied her on her globetrotting travels during Silver Jubilee celebrations and among those who entertained her with on-board cabaret. David Rushforth with a picture of the Queen and himself on Britannia.

"After one of the shows she said to HRH (Prince Phillip), 'I'm going to talk to the Two Ronnies first.' She said to me: 'Where on earth do you get your material from.' She is a special person," he added.

"I was the youngest chief charge petty officer in the Royal Navy by seven years," says Mr Rushforth who joined the royal yacht aged 26, eventually rising to the position of senior engine room technician.

"It was a big year for the Britannia," he recalls of the last Jubilee year. "We sailed on Boxing Day towards the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific where we were joined by the Queen."

From there the Britannia sailed to Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia.

"It's a wonderful environment, very relaxed. She's very professional," he adds, recalling one occasion when she spoke to 30 crew and spent one minute with each person, "no more, no less - it was phenomenal."

In all, he served for 13 years in the Royal Navy and three-and-a-half years on board the Britannia during which time he met the Queen Mother - "a lovely person" - on a number of occasions.

He reminisces about the Queen Mum hanging and waving a sheet out of the window at Balmoral when the Britannia sailed past to which crew used to respond with more waves and a salvo of rockets.

"I have tremendous memories," says Mr Rushforth who played golf for the Royal Navy in inter-service tournaments and who has since travelled the world as a general sales manager for an engineering firm.

A member of the Royal Naval Association in Stourbridge and a founding member and former captain of the Royal Yacht Golf team, he adds: "When I was serving on the Britannia I always felt it was a tremendous privilege. Looking back in this jubilee year, I think what a wonderful time that was."