Three Chris Eubank fans are ensuring the boxer isn't forgotten while stranded abroad - by carrying his head on a stick.

Stuart Stanley, Oliver Hazel and David Porter, of Holland Road, Hove, missed seeing their hero so they decided to turn a photo of his face into a placard and take it round with them.

Now Chris On A Stick accompanies them every time they go out in Brighton and Hove.

The former WBO middleweight titleholder told us last month he had travelled to the Middle East on business before the air strikes on Afghanistan began and was too scared to fly home.

The plane crash in New York on November 12 did nothing to ease his fears.

Now the trio have vowed to stand in for the Hove celebrity, who is normally frequently spotted driving his jeep or riding his Harley Davidson, until he returns.

They have been spotted in a string of pubs and clubs with their new pal and have landed a few strange looks.

They cause more hilarity by ordering a pint each and "one for Chris", only to drink it themselves because their icon does not drink.

They try to frequent all the places where they have seen Chris and also take him to their own haunts to show him somewhere new.

The fun started when they read about their hero's plight.

Stuart, a student events officer for Coulsdon College, London, said: "We've been fans of Chris since we moved here two years ago. On our first day in Brighton, we went to the Polar Bar and saw him.

"We thought it was great to see a celebrity sat with everyone else in the bar.

"We got used to seeing him out all the time so when he got stranded, we began to miss seeing him."

Chris's wife, Karron, said her husband was fine but was still not coming back from the Middle East, adding: "We are all missing him. I am hoping he will be back before Christmas."

Chris's personal assistant, who did not want to be named, said the fans' tribute was "sweet" and she would let him know of their touching gesture.