Simon, coowner with wife Lynley of Garstang Physiotherapy Clinic, will be swopping his usual day job for the sporting life for a fortnight.

The 36-year-old is already a veteran of another international sporting event.

He was delighted when he was accepted as out of some 2000 applicants to treat athletes from around the world when the Commonwealth Games came to Glasgow last year.

Now he is relishing the opportunity to further extend his professional experience and once again be based in a sporting village as part of the elite team treating world class athletes.

He predicted: "There will be a very eclectic mix of different nationalities and sports.”

He will take the six hour flight to Baku on June 10, returning on June 25 and said: "As far as I know I’m working every day.”

But he hopes to be able to see some of the games if his shifts permit.

Over 6,000 athletes from Europe will compete in the multisport event, the inaugural European Games, representing some 50 countries from the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Europe.

Simon said his top events to watch would be athletics and cycling.

He said the wonderful experience he had had at the Glasgow games had made him keen to sign up for the European event: "The experience in Glasgow was really positive. It was a great experience and also an opportunity to work with elite athletes - not something that happens very often.”

Simon believes volunteering for the Games will again benefit his professional practice, providing the opportunity to observe and learn from other experts in sports injuries and use his skills.

He is also hoping to fit in some sight seeing if time permits.

Simon, who studied at Arnold School, Blackpool, is originally from Freckleton.

He and his wife, who have a son Jacob, two, opened their physiotherapy clinic on Bridge Street in 2011.

As for his own sporting endeavours he admits to liking cycling and golf, but says with a two year old his spare time is limited.