Brian Tunbridge, 43, from Bury St Edmunds, became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Joiners and Ceilers - one of the livery companies in the City of London - over the summer.

Because of this honour, Brian has now become a Freeman of the City of London and one of his rights is to be able to take part in a reboot of an old tradition where farmers used to take their sheep to market across a bridge in London.

Mr Tunbridge, who works for West Suffolk College, based in Bury, participated in this ancient ritual on Sunday, that took place on Southwark Bridge.

He joked by saying “You could say it’s unbaalieveable”.  

In addition to this news, the former student of the college has also joined the board of the Institute of Carpenters (IOC).

In terms of this honour, Mr Tunbridge said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to represent West Suffolk College and more than 40 other colleges nationally at the IOC - an organisation committed to ensuring each generation of carpenters and joiners upholds the highest traditions of our historic craft. I look forward to contributing to the enhancement and promotion of this ancient profession in my new role.”

He is also playing his part in trying to secure a grant from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust to support 3D modelling training at the college where (if successful) he will team up with the esteemed carver Clunie Fretton and Taylor Made Joinery Interiors Ltd to provide additional training to students and apprentices in this old-school skill.

Future plans for Mr Tunbridge will see him working with Ofsted to improve standards in carpentry teaching and he is also hoping to support the Royal British Legion as they set about repairing a bench that fell into disrepair that commemorates the Battle of Normandy.