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There aren't many people who like to be taken for a ride. But that's exactly what one Lowestoft resident wanted... and the more tumultuous the ride, the better.  

Adrenaline junkie David Ellis dedicated his life to roller coasters after a childhood trip to Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach sparked his interest - and has just clocked his 1,000th ride.

Mr Ellis travelled more than 1,500 miles on the rides and visited 22 countries in his bid to become one of just 40 people to have conquered the thousand coaster challenge.  

An unusual achievement: Adrenaline addict David Ellis celebrated his 1,000th roller coaster ride

Strapped in: Mr Ellis riding the Mindbender - the world's largest indoor triple looping coaster - in Edmonton, Canada

The 48-year-old accountant likes nothing more than the rush of a loop-the-loop, normally associated with thrill-seeking teenagers.

His passion started on a family holiday when he was aged just ten. He said: 'The roller coaster at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach was my first ever coaster and it still holds a special place in my heart.

'My dad took me for the first time and although I was a bit nervous I immediately got a taste for coasters and I became determined to ride as many as I could.'

Since then he's worked his way round theme parks all over the UK taking in classics such as the Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Stealth at Thorpe Park.

He once drove four hours to Alton Towers to ride Nemesis 64 times and drive straight back again.

Going viral: The daredevil has even become and unlikely internet sensation after the video he filmed of himself on the Mieders Alpine Coaster in Austria (pictured) was viewed more than nine million times on YouTube

Mutual interest: Mr Ellis's quest to find a new roller coaster has taken him outside the UK and his dutiful wife Susan has followed him round the globe

Mr Ellis has also ridden a coaster nude. The first time was in Wales in 1999 and he did it for a dare.

Since then he's been combining his passion for roller coasters with record-breaking nudity.

He has twice set and beaten the world record for the most people without any clothes on a roller coaster. 

He said: 'In 1999 the park manager of a theme park in Wales dared members of the European Coaster Club – which I'm a member of - to go on naked and said he wouldn't run the ride past midnight unless we all stripped.

'It was a good laugh and we all really enjoyed it.

'Then in May 2004 I was approached by Thorpe Park to break a world record attempt for the largest number of naked people on a roller coaster.

Coasting along: The accountant has travelled thousands of miles to achieve his roller coaster ambition

A good laugh: Mr Ellis, pictured here with a friend,  has twice set and beaten the world record for the most people without any clothes on a roller coaster

'Since then I've helped break the world record on Nemesis at Alton Towers and at Adventure Island in Essex. I don't mind being naked...as long as it's not too cold.

'We do have a nudist beach close to where I live which I've been known to visit. I'm not at all shy.' 

In the last 20 years his quest to find new roller coasters has taken him outside the UK and his dutiful wife Susan has followed him round the globe.

The couple even rode a roller coaster on the morning of their wedding in 2002 in Vegas.

David said: 'Susan is not quite as mad as me because I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

'She rides pretty much everything but most of the time she is happy just to ride a coaster once and then let me ride as many times as I want to.'

Last year in China David managed to fit in 27 amusement parks in just 16 days.

And he notched up his 1,000th roller coaster on an 18-day trip where he took in his final 65 rides at 27 different parks in 10 US states and two Canadian provinces.

Thrillseeker: The 48-year-old notched up his 1,000th roller coaster on an 18-day trip where he took in his final 65 rides at 27 different parks in 10 US states and two Canadian provinces

Taken for a ride: Last year in China David managed to fit in 27 amusement parks in just 16 days 

1,000 rides: Mr Ellis on a nude roller coaster ride. The adrenalin junkie is one of just 40 people to have conquered the thousand coaster challenge

An old-fashioned wooden roller coaster called Tremors at Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho eventually took the number 1,000 title.

The daredevil has even become and unlikely internet sensation after the video he filmed of himself on the Mieders Alpine Coaster in Austria was viewed more than nine million times on YouTube.

David said: 'It feels great to be part of such an exclusive club.

'During our trip we drove about 5,000 miles which was pretty crazy and was quite an adventure in itself.

'Completing my 1,000th ride was a special moment for me because it has been in the distance for a long time and it was lovely to finally reach it.

The adventure goes on: 'It feels great to be part of such an exclusive club,' Mr Ellis said 

'But the adventure goes on and there's always new roller coasters being built every year.'

Speaking about his 1,000th unique ride, David was impressed.

He added: 'The ride was very good. I was disappointed I only got to ride it once because we only had a couple of hours in each park.

'But I got a front seat ride and came out of my seat several times which is what we call air time and is rated very highly by roller coaster enthusiasts.'