BBC Breakfast Sports presenter Mike Bushell, who lives in St Mary Bourne, was on the run after being accused of stealing oats.

The Sheriff of Nottingham put a bounty on his head, offering a bucket of vegetables for any peasant who captured him.

At the same time Robin Hood wanted to find Bushell who, it was claimed on the posters, was the best archer in the forest.

Mike, who normally presents sport, was given exclusive access to the set during filming for the new series of Robin Hood, which starts tomorrow.

He said: "We didn't want to do just a run of the mill preview of the new series, but I was challenged to see for myself how physically demanding being in this drama is.

"So I was dressed as a villager and we came up with our own story line to run in Breakfast."

The series is filmed on location in Hungary, because it's cheaper and the forests are deserted.

But there are more rocky crags and cliffs than in the real Sherwood Forest and Mike said he needed the legs of a mountain goat to survive.

There have been ruptured groins, torn hamstrings and teeth knocked out while filming was held up for eight weeks when Jonas Armstrong, who plays Robin Hood, broke a metatarsal.

Mike, who is now back home nursing his injuries, added: "During filming of our scenes, I was punched by Little John, chased by the Sheriff and Robin Hood and taken out at knee height, by a trip wire set up by Will Scarlet.

"Then in a London dungeon I was tortured by Guy of Gisborn. All in a days work really."