THE former owner of a book shop has become a story teller.

Philip Turner has just had a book published about one of "Bomber" Harris' famous bomber command squadron.

The book, One of Butch's Boys tells the story of rear gunner Allen Clifford 81, a Darlingtonian now living in Aldbrough St John, near Richmond.

"He is a remarkable chap with a real story to tell, having survived 22 operations in bomber command, baling out, being captured, and escaping from a PoW camp," said Mr Turner.

Mr Turner, a former teacher and schools inspector, opened a book shop, Storyteller, in Thirsk with his wife, Judy, when he retired and, after retiring again last year, he decided to write the story of Mr Clifford.

Already the author of three biographies, he tells Mr Clifford's story of courage when his aircraft was hit and he baled out. His comrades were killed but Mr Clifford was captured by the SS and imprisoned in a PoW camp in East Prussia.

When the Russians arrived from the East front, he was marched 100 miles and wound up imprisoned in Berlin.

After cutting a hole in the prison camp's fence, he escaped but was caught ten minutes later. Undeterred he tried again, and was picked up by an American truck at the River Elbe crossing; five days later was back home.

"It is a stirring tale"' said Mr Turner, who now lives at Topcliffe. The book is published by Woodfield, Thirsk.

His previous books are Not For Glory, about the Barnsley Pals, The Long Carry, about stretcher-bearers in World War One, and Nicholson, an Indian Mutiny hero.

After working in the South, Mr Turner was a supply teacher in the Bedale and Richmond area.