Veteran golfer Alan Bytheway has overcome a health handicap to get back into the swing of the game with a vengeance.

After fighting his way back to health following a hip replacement and the life-threatening condition of a blood clot on the lung, the 70-year-old took up his clubs once again and this month proved he can still make his mark on the course.

To his delight, he and golfing partner, Mike Shippey, of Otley, came out tops in Otley Golf Club's February triple six competition from a field of 53 pairs.

Former club press officer Alan, who plays off a handicap of 19, and 18 handicapper Mike, went round the 18-hole course in 81 gross - going out in 46 shots on the first nine and back in 35.

Said Alan, of St Paul's Rise, Addingham, and a club member for 27 years: "A two-year lay-off from competition golf has not diminished my enthusiasm for the game.

" It looked like being an ordinary round during the first nine holes but then it was an excellent second half.

"The remarkable part was we only took 35 shots for the back nine which was one over par."

The retired college lecturer, who worked at Ilkley College and later at Trinity and All Saints College in Horsforth, took up a number of other interests after leaving education.

He has exhibited at the British Watercolour Society and in 2000, he visited Ontario as part of his research into Canada's most extraordinary crime, the Birchall - Benwell case of 1890 involving Oxbridge educated Englishmen.

Following his talk on the case to Burley-in-Wharfedale's Probus Club, he has been asked to speak at the Addingham branch on Thursday. (March 6)

Alan's wife Barbara shares his love of golf and is a member of the Otley club.

She is also a former county hockey player and represented Lancashire.