GLEN BURTON’S face was splashed across newspapers around the world when the news broke that Madonna had adopted a baby from Malawi.

The former Newlands School pupil who tried “every trick in the book” to keep the world’s paparazzi at bay, was pictured along with Madonna’s PA carrying baby David on board a plane.

But Madonna is just one of a list of celebs, which also includes Halle Berry, Heidi Klum and Will Smith, who have hired Glen as a bodyguard

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Now, after the Gazette approached him, Glen has decided to speak about his work protecting the world’s rich and famous. “I’ve been asked to tell my story many times and I always thought no, no, no,” said the 37-year-old based in Houston, Texas, who regularly visits family on Teesside.

Glen signed up for the Army when he left school at 16 and joined the first battalion Coldstream Guards. But he didn’t think 21 years later he would have travelled to 75 countries and set up his own security business, Erimus Risk.

Glen served with the Army for 10 years and carried out tours across the globe, including the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia. He said: “I remember some people thought I wouldn’t last five minutes in the Army – it was a long five minutes.”

It was in 1994, while he was in Bosnia that Glen decided working in the security business was for him. At the time he was a driver for the United Nations military commander in the Balkans, General Sir Michael Rose, alongside a British Special Forces Close Protection Team.

Glen, who volunteered for all of his seven operational tours during his Army career, said: “As a 20-year-old I was thrust right into the heart of war but I was working with some of the best.

“I watched, learned and was given the opportunity of being with the team protecting the general on a daily basis.

“That experience was invaluable but the work and the risk captured my imagination.”

Glen left the army in April 2000 and undertook a close protection course for his resettlement. After moving to LA in 2001, he was soon employed by a number of companies to protect A-listers.

One of his most high profile jobs was when he visited Malawi in March 2006 when Madonna decided to adopt David Banda.

“It didn’t take long for the paparazzi to turn up with the word out that she might adopt,” said the former St Gerard’s School pupil. “Everywhere we went they followed. First it was just a couple of cars, then we’d have six then 10. It became a big pain in the backside.”

At one point, the team had to use Madonna’s PA as a decoy, getting her to wear a wig so the paparazzi would follow her and the real Madonna could move around more freely.

Despite the attention, Glen says he didn’t fully appreciate the media frenzy until they arrived in the UK. Glen, whose mum Kathleen Rennie lives in Coulby Newham, and dad Gerard lives in Hemlington, said: “We landed at 6am at Heathrow to what seemed to be the world’s paparazzi.

“I remember walking near Marble Arch once I’d handed over David and left the house. Passers-by seemed to be looking at me, news stands had pictures on every front page with me leaving Malawi. It felt surreal and somewhat uncomfortable. I wasn’t used to that.”

Despite not being used to the media attention, Glen says he realises it is part of his job, and says the fact he doesn’t stick out has helped him.

Glen, dad to Poppy, two, said: “I found the majority of people that I’ve worked for – most notably high net-worth families – prefer someone who can blend into their environment, rather than stand out.”

Over the years Glen says he’s seen it all as snappers try to get exclusive pictures, including paying waiters $100 to work in their place at a restaurant.

But one of his most unusual cases was when he was working for German model Heidi Klum and her then husband Seal when they renewed their vows a couple of years ago.

Glen said: “I was on the beach with a Boro top on jogging when I noticed out to sea a four-seater boat in the distance.

“A guy kept popping up and laying back down again as if he was doing sit ups. He was getting snatch pictures.”

In 2008, when he realised that his training would give him an edge in LA, Glen decided to set up his company. And as a nod to his Boro roots its name includes Middlesbrough motto Erimus, Latin for We shall be.

He said: “The training for a Guard Card in LA is eight hours. This qualifies you to guard car parks, shopping malls and yes, people’s lives. In the UK to become a licenced close protection officer you need a relevant civilian, military or police course under your belt. This course is about a month-long including first aid and trauma.”

Although his work has seen him fly across the globe, Glen says his job can be very hard. “A lot of people think I must be on cloud nine travelling on private jets,” he said.

“Yes I do enjoy certain amounts of it but it is a job, with serious parts.”