Sam Sheriff, from Torquay, is a sergeant with 45 Commando Royal Marines, and has given the gorillas at the zoo 90 feet of climbing rope to enjoy.

Sam’s donation to the gorillas  included a pair of 15-foot lengths used in the gym by Royal Marines as well as a 60-foot length from an outdoor commando slide.

Sam explained that the marines replace ropes on a regular basis so they were happy to see them go to a good home.

Sam will be doing lots of climbing of his own in the coming days, as he’s completing a charity rope climb on 14 December to raise funds for a Royal Marines memorial garden.

With this in mind he took the opportunity to watch the gorillas for some climbing tips during his visit to Paignton Zoo, and found inspiration for his 3,000 foot climb which will take place in Scotland.

Blue Chip Holidays wish Sam lots of luck with his challenge!

Click here to see our range of Paignton holiday cottages.