VIDEOS of an ex-serviceman from St Julian’s doing push-ups as part of an online campaign have been seen thousands of times in social media.

Richard Jenkins, 47, who served in Northern Ireland, is doing the challenge to raise awareness of servicemen and women who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and commit suicide .

He said: "I decided to do it because people kept challenging me to do it, but also because my nephew, Liam Tracey, served in Afghanistan.

"He was diagnosed with PTSD while he was there. He still has dark issues and is receiving treatment, but he has a lovely family and is getting better.

"I served in Northern Ireland in the 80s. I was very lucky I didn’t come back with a stress disorder and I was able to carry on with my normal life."

Mr Jenkins, who was a gunner in the Royal Artillery, has so far uploaded 14 videos of himself doing 22 push-ups. People taking part in the campaign do 22 push-ups because, according to a study from 2013, every day 22 veterans take their own lives due to post traumatic stress disorder.

New people are challenged on each of the 22 days the push-up challenge is done.

"Each day, I’ve done different press-ups and, for instance, I did some with my sister on my back for her birthday," he said. The ex-soldier also did push-ups wearing women's clothes, "It's a little bit of fun" he says "it’s about raising awareness."

"The one I did at the checkout of Tesco in Spytty went viral – it has had over 15,000 views. I was getting messages from across the world.

"The video I did outside Newport's police station wearing a woman’s dress has got over 6,000 views."

The challenge was started by #22KILL, a campaign group based in the US – and they’re hoping to reach 22 million push ups in total.

He said: "A lot of people are doing the challenge at the moment, but they are just doing it for the show. They go to the gym and it gives them an excuse to show off in front of the camera.

Mr Jenkins will be filming his next video in Newport’s station tomorrow morning at 7.30am.