A PARATROOPER who faced down Nazi Panzer tanks and survived the infamous Stalag Luft prisoner-of-war camp has fired the first shot at a new £3m golf course.

Bill Allchurch, now 95, was the first member on the rolls when Ramside Golf Club opened near Durham City back in 1995 and was invited to officially open its new 18-hole Cathedral Course yesterday (Monday, September 1).

Having joined the Allied invasion of the Netherlands in September 1944, Mr Allchurch, who now lives in Broompark, County Durham, was captured and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, the Luftwaffe-run POW camp in modern day Poland, before escaping the advance of the Soviet army in 1945 to reach safety in Czechoslovakia.

He took up golf on leaving the Army in 1954 and until recently was still taking lessons, playing up to four times a week and trying to improve his swing.

He acted as caddy for Ramside’s league team every Tuesday night until his 90th birthday and is now an honorary member of the club, along with such stars as Newcastle United legend Kevin Keegan.

At yesterday’s (Monday) ceremony, he was joined by his wife Joyce, 81, who teed off to officially open the Cathedral Course for ladies.

Mr Allchurch said: “I’ve always loved golf, my entire life, and I’m convinced it’s helped me live so long.

“Ramside is my golfing home and I’ve been so excited to see this new course open and what an honour to hit the first shot.”

Helen Roseberry, director of golf at Ramside, said: “Bill Allchurch and his wife Joyce are loved by everyone here at Ramside and we could not think of a more fitting person to open our new golf course than Bill.”

The £3m championship course is open to club members, the general public and golf societies.

It was designed by Jonathan Gaunt, of Gaunt Golf Design, and is the first phase of a £15m expansion at Ramside. A spa, health club, gym, swimming pool and 47 more hotel bedrooms will open at the four-star resort next spring.