Golf Resort founder holds Charity Golf Day for Birthday

Albert Minshall, from Whitchurch, built the golf resort in 1971 and opened Hill Valley in 1975 after buying two farms.

Albert sold off the farmhouses and created a golf course - designed by TV golfing stars Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas - and a 25-bed hotel on the site in Whitchurch.

It was taken over in 2003 by the prestigious Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Group and became the Macdonald Hill Valley Spa, Hotel and Golf.

The hotel now has 81 bedrooms, two 18-hole golf courses and a spa.

The golf courses remain highly respected within the sport - Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle were both regular players and Woosnam was also a greenkeeper and barman at the resort.

Albert is still very connected with the hotel; he lives in a cottage on the site close to the 9th fairway and plays golf there most days.

"I think the resort is magnificent now - the golf course is absolutely beautiful and the hotel is fantastic," said Albert.

Rather than organising a party for his 80th birthday, he is holding a charity golf day at Hill Valley to raise funds for a new roof for St John's Church in Whitchurch.

The event will be a Texas scramble round with a shotgun start and a buffet, and will take place on Wednesday, August 28.

"I'm not really into parties and I wanted to do something that would help a good cause - and of course I love playing golf," said Albert.