A HAMPSHIRE pub "steeped in history" has reopened after being given a £1m facelift.

The 16th century Filly Inn at Brockenhurst is opposite the remains of a PoW camp that housed German prisoners during the Second World War.

Now the popular watering hole opposite Setley Plain is sporting a new look after undergoing extensive renovation work.

Run by Punch Pubs & Co, the Filly Inn is popular with ramblers and dog walkers.

A Punch spokesman said the newly-restored pub boasted open fireplaces, cosy corners and a spacious rear garden - plus seven new en-suite rooms.

He added: "The pub's menu is bursting with home-cooked food, and locally-sourced seafood specials are the order of the day.

"The eclectic menu sees quintessential British classics rub shoulders with modern bistro dishes, as well as plenty of small plates for nibbling on with drinks.

"For the seasoned drinker there is a well-stocked bar of local beers, quality real ales, liveners, and pick-me-ups."

Nick Ranhem has reopened the building with the help of general manager Sean Murphy.

Nick said: "This huge investment has restored the pub to its former glory, retaining its unique charm and quirky character the community is so fond of."

Operations director Robin Belither added: "The Filly Inn is an absolute gem.

"The team has worked tirelessly to restore a stunning inn steeped in history. We are so proud of the result."

Heathland opposite the pub was home to a PoW camp, traces of which can still be seen.

In 2016 it saw a meeting between ex-prisoner Hans Strehlau, of Hythe, and former motor transport officer Gordon Forsey, who was based at the camp.

The two 91-year-olds laughed and joked as they studied an aerial photograph of the camp and tried to find traces of the buildings they both knew as young men.

But the only visible signs were a concrete path and a tiny strip of brickwork that could have been part of the old hospital.

Hans, a sergeant in the German army, was captured in 1945 and held at a PoW camp in Belgium before being transferred to England.

After 12 months at the camp he was sent to work on a farm on the nearby Exbury Estate.

He met his future wife Jean, who helped out on the farm at weekends, and chose to stay in the UK rather than return to his native East Prussia.

Known as Prisoner of War Camp 65 the facility was built in 1941 to hold Italian PoWs. In 1944 it began to take German inmates and continued to do so until 1947.

The camp was then handed over to what was then New Forest Rural District Council to house the families of returning servicemen, who had previously been accommodated in Nissen huts at Beaulieu aerodrome.

The camp continued to operate until the early 1950s, when sufficient council housing had been built.