Standing at six foot two inches tall, and weighing nearly 17 stone, Tim Locks is a colossal figure and used to dealing with troublemakers.

He was once a doorman at Cheekies nightclub in Staines, Surrey, throwing out drunken revellers and monitoring security before running his own construction business.

Now the 38-year-old has sold his home and moved to Iraq to help fight the bloodthirsty terrorists of the Islamic State.

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Fighter: Former bouncer Tim Locks has sold his home and relocated to Iraq to join the fight against the bloodthirsty terrorists of the Islamic State

Like family: Mr Locks has joined Dwekh Nawsha, a Christian militia group, and said he feels they are 'like family' in Iraq

Mr Locks has joined a group called Dwekh Nawsha, a Christian militia whose name in Assyrian means 'the self-sacrificers'.

Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Locks revealed that he made his decision to relocate to Iraq last August after watching the news reports about the plight of Yazidis on Mount Sinjar.

He said: 'Last summer I was at home, watching the news and I saw pictures of Mount Sinjar. I just thought I have a great life, job, beautiful house and I thought it is time to help someone else.'

When asked whether he was motivated by religion, Locks said he wasn't religious but had no problem fighting for a group with strong Christian values.

He said: 'I had no specific wishes to join a specific group. I just wanted to help people out here. Any society which kills people, cuts people's heads off needs to be challenged.

'I put my home on the market and started to talk with a guy online. My house sold quickly and I met up en route with my friend from online.'

Finally in mid-February, Mr Locks and his new friend flew from Heathrow, via Dubai to Sulaymaniyah, the biggest city in southern Kurdistan.

They paid for extra baggage, allowing them to bring around 130 kilogrammes of kit with them to Iraq.

Arriving last week, Mr Locks was adamant that he had made the right choice in leaving behind his life in the UK.

He said: 'Back home I had TV in every room, a swimming pool, six to eight holidays abroad a year. I did what I wanted pretty much when I wanted.

'Now I'm here helping people with next to nothing, with a group of guys I've known less than a couple of weeks but who feel like family already.'

Front line: Mr Locks said he wants to confront Islamic State and added: 'I just wanted to help people out here. Any society which kills people, cuts people's heads off needs to be challenged'

Inspiration: Mr Locks said he was inspired to join Dwekh Nawsha after speaking to Brett, a 28-year-old former US veteran, who was the group's first foreign fighter

When asked about his family's reaction to his decision, Locks said: 'They are petrified for my safety and that is very understandable. But they knew they would not be able to talk me out of this.'

Mr Locks explained how he joined Dwekh Nawsha after speaking to Brett, a 28-year-old former US veteran who was the group's first foreign fighter.

The American's honestly and approachable manner appealed to Mr Locks, who liked the openness of the group as well as its stringent recruitment process of only recruiting veterans or people with valued skills like construction.

Tim also admitted that he was put off joining the popular foreign fighter group, the Lions of Rojava, or the Peshmerga, because of uncertainties over expected commitment.

Rumours circulate that some groups have made foreign fighters hand over their passports in order to secure long-term service, but Tim said: 'I'm not prepared to surrender my phone and passport.'

'Brett told me: "You are free to come and go. You can leave at anytime."'

Despite the small size of Dwekh Nawsha, the group is growing fast with dozens of people from around the world contacting them about helping out.

Mr Locks explained how 'we put everyone through a vetting process. I have a big construction background and that is a massive skill out here for building bases and repairing homes'.

As well as helping with construction projects in Nineveh province, Locks has been involved in logistics but is hoping to visit the frontline very soon.

'We are due to go to the frontline any day now to help train the locals and help defend the line against Daesh (Islamic State).'

Mr Muscle: Mr Locks had worked as a bouncer and in construction before recently relocating to Iraq

Former life: The former builder from Bracknell in Berkshire said he will only return to the UK once Islamic State have been defeated

But the former builder from Bracknell in Berkshire was clear that he did not join Dwekh Nawsha for the attention.

He said: 'I didn't come out here to be a celebrity but it is a way of gaining awareness. Some people move out here to make a name for themselves.'

His comments come after last December it emerged that two former British army soldiers, James Hughes and Jamie Read, who both joined the Lions of Rojava and gave interviews about how they had fought on the frontline at Kobane. Neither soldier had been near Kobane.

For Locks, the reality of the situation in Iraq has been an eye opener.

He said: 'The situation out here is dire. Blankets and rice cannot defend the people against Daesh.

'The western world needs to pull their finger out. Send us some kit, send us some food. Send us weapons. If you don't send it, you are failing the world.'

'We are here. We are the boots on the ground. There is no pay. I am here to protect the local people and democracy. But we are seriously under resourced.

'Britain has done nothing to help the situation. I have done more to help people here in a week than David Cameron has done. He has done nothing.'

Tim admitted that his life is now permanently under threat from Islamic State: 'We are value targets for Islamic State. We are always armed and never travel on our own.'

Old friends: Mr Locks (third from right) poses with friends in a gym before his move to the Middle East

He admits that his efforts have been costing him a lot of money and said: 'I took significant funds but we are chewing it up. We purchased our own weapons as it is very expensive to buy equipment out here.'

Despite the strain on his finances and the threat of Islamic State, Locks was positive about his early experiences in Nineveh.

He said: 'The people here are fantastic. We have been very well looked after. We are never on our own and always have someone who speaks one of the local dialect. Daesh are far too cowardly to get us.'

When asked when he planned to return to the UK, Locks admitted he was unsure how he would be received in the UK after hearing how other returnees had been monitored and questioned for hours by security services.

He added: 'I don't know if I will be welcome back in the UK. I have sold my house. I have no time limit, no reason to return until the job is done. If I do leave, I may never be able to get back.'

For Locks, the fight against Islamic State is his current priority and he appears wholeheartedly committed to the cause.