IS it an alien? Is it a spaceman? No, it's just a friendly self-defence instructor.

The Fear and Adrenaline Stress Testing (FAST) De-fence programme has been launched in Europe with martial arts students in Poole the lucky guinea pigs.

The course teaches basic self-defence techniques but with an added ingredient - adrenaline. Instructors kitted out in oversized helmets shout, swear and fight students in a situation designed to feel like a real-life street attack.

The four-hour course is massively popular in America because it teaches you how to channel the adrenaline that such a situation would induce and defend yourself.

Malcolm Jones and Chris Wood are two of just three instructors outside America who are qualified to teach FAST Defence. They brought it to Kemp Welch Leisure Centre in Poole for its debut.

One four-hour session is all that is needed to pick up the five simple techniques behind FAST De-fence. Malcolm is available to run courses for individuals and businesses but needs around 16 people for each session. He can be contacted on 01202 733486.