A military vehicle enthusiast is to take his driving test in a 15-tonne armoured personnel carrier.

Steve Geer, 23, lives in the tiny chocolate box village of Glynde, near Lewes, where some might think a £12,000 bombproof troop transporter with 1in armour plating a little unnecessary.

However, Steve aims to gain his category H licence to enable him to drive tanks at the annual War and Peace Show in Kent, which regularly draws more than 3,000 people.

The one-seat personnel carrier, powered by a 12-litre Rolls-Royce diesel engine, is owned by his friend and fellow enthusiast Dave King, who also owns a 60-tonne tank.

Steve's examiner will travel from Eastbourne to test his ability to handle the British-built vehicle in Glynde.

If he passes, the former Ringmer Community College pupil, of Beddingham Gardens, will be able to drive the carrier legally on public roads.

He said: "Even now I can take it on the roads provided I use L-plates, even to pop to Sainsbury's.

"I must admit I do get quite a few weird looks when people see me on the road with it.

"It's a big lump of armour but it is really easy to drive.

"Along with Dave, I take it round the fields opposite where I live and it is great.

"You have basically got two levers and a throttle to drive it.

"To stop, all you do is pull back both the levers at the same time.

"It is fairly simple to drive but quite noisy."

Unmarried Steve, who works in the cellar at Harvey's Brewery in Lewes, passed his regular driving test in 1997.

But he needs an category H licence to drive the armoured personnel carrier.

It will permit him to drive tanks of all sizes.

He said: "It is quite unusual to take a test in a tank.

"When I spoke to the DVLA they said they hadn't had one for a long time, certainly not in Sussex.

"We had a bit of trouble finding the vehicle to take the test in.

"But after we did find it, the DVLA came out to inspect it and pencilled it in."

Steve paid £40 for his half-hour test.

He had been due to take it today but DVLA officials have now postponed it until later this month.

Steve said: "I hope I do pass. We'll just have to see how I perform."