Golfing-mad Dennis Payter enjoyed a game with some clout when he was on the green recently.

The Bristol Evening Post district news editor was holding the flag for night editor Peter Watson's 20ft putt on a pre-work round when he was struck by a ball on his ear from a completely different direction.

Dennis Payter... or is it Pudsey Bear?

There was no shout of "fore!" and newsman Dennis (right), although rather stunned, continued to the end of the round and then went on to do his shift at work.

But one of the junior staff noticed his ear getting bigger and bigger, and persuaded Dennis to go off to hospital, where he had some fluid drained.

An insider at the Post said: "He looked like Pudsey Bear when he came back from his check-up. He wore a cock-eyed bandage which was supposed to be supporting his ear.

"We feared the worst - it looked like he'd been off for some quick keyhole brain surgery."

Dennis is a veteran of 30 years at the Post, starting off in 1969 as a Linotype operator before retraining as a journalist in 1987 and progressing through district and newsdesk roles to be district news editor.

He is a keen cricketer as well as a golfer and has turned out for the Keynsham teams over the years.

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