Brian Locksmith, a senior store keeper at 6 Regiment Army Air Corps, has raised exactly £21,600 for children's hospices, the air ambulance and other charities since 1998.

Last year, he arranged two charity golf tournaments at Feltwell Golf Club with the regiment and raised £600 for the air ambulance.

He has also collected 70 old mobile phones, for which the charity can raise at least £5 per handset.

Brian said: "It's just an interest that I have and I think there are always people in need of support. The Government tends not to do a lot for things like the air ambulance."

The regiment, based in Bury St Edmunds, has become the first to include Territorial Army soldiers and is now recruiting new members.

Captain Gary Tuff said many helicopter pilots were ex-Army Air Corps, including the air ambulance.

Nichola Wright, from the air ambulance, said: "People don't realise when they are chucking their phones away that they can actually raise money for charity.

"We rely on public support, so we are obviously extremely grateful to people like Brian for doing these events. They keep the ambulance flying and saving people's lives."