Brave Nigel Wesson is working with animals again - six months after a tiger chewed off his arm.

Nigel, 38, was hailed the pluckiest man in Britain after 500lb tiger Rajah bit off his left arm as he closed its cage at Chipperfield Circus's training centre in Heythrop near Chipping Norton.

He said after the horrific attack earlier this year: "The beast was going chomp, chomp, chomp as he worked his way up the limb. He wrecked my day."

Now Nigel, who had a false arm fitted following surgery, has gained a groom's job at a Northamptonshire stables, and rides a huge 18-hand hunter twice a day.

He said: "I knew I could handle tigers again if I wanted to. However, now I prefer horses.

"I was getting bored out of my mind sitting at home and was desperate to get back to work. Having my arm bitten off hasn't changed my lifestyle that much. I've got the right mentality to cope."

Nigel, who underwent extensive surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, has mastered his false arm so well that he can saddle up, muck out and drive a tractor.

He added: "I've taught myself to do most things, although they might take me 30 seconds longer."

He said he did so much work his false arm kept breaking.

One other thing worries him - he can't hold his drink as well as he used to. He added: "I fall over quicker - I'm an arm short so there is less blood to dilute the alcohol."

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