A FORMER director and chairman of Blandford brewers Hall and Woodhouse, who was responsible for the launch and production of the nationally successful Panda Pops drink, has died aged 85.

John "Jock" Woodhouse was born in Kensington in 1922, went to school at Malvern College and later enlisted in the Dorset Regiment early in the Second World War.

He saw active service with the East Surrey Regiment in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy and was awarded the Military Cross in 1943 for a patrol raid on German headquarters. He was a prisoner in Germany for the last year of the war.

After the war he learned Russian at Cambridge and his post-war service was spent mainly on Intelligence Staff appointments.

He joined the Special Air Service Regiment in 1950 and saw active service in Malaya before returning to command the 22nd SAS Regiment in Hereford.

During his period with the SAS the then Major Woodhouse was responsible for introducing what became known as selection course' in 1952 which is now reputed to be one of the most demanding military training courses in the world.

Lt Col Woodhouse retired in 1965 after a distinguished military career to look after his family estate at Higher Melcombe, beginning in business with the family brewery company, Hall and Woodhouse.

He was given the task of turning around the small loss-making Sunparlour Soft Drinks Company. He revived its fortunes and was responsible for the success of Panda Pops.

He retired in 1983 but, following the early deaths of his brewery cousins, John and Edward Woodhouse, he was called back in 1988 to become chairman of Hall and Woodhouse for 10 years.

He was chairman of Melcombe Horsey Parish Meeting from his retirement from the Army in 1965, taking an active part in local affairs until a few years before he passed away in a Dorset nursing home.

He was married to Peggy for 40 years until her death in 1997.

He leaves two sons, Michael and William, and four grandchildren.