Bet debt settled after five years

Sebastian Steinzen joined Patrick Burns and his partner Pam Rutter for a relaxing drink at The Black Horse Pub in Clapton-in-Gordano after spending hundreds of pounds trying to find the couple so he could repay his debt.

Patrick, from Portishead, met Sebastian while on a golfing holiday in Majorca where they played a few rounds together.

On the final day, Sebastian bet he could land his ball no more than 2m away from the flag but was unsuccessful. His payment would have been to buy Patrick a pint.

However, Patrick and Pam returned to England before Sebastian had the chance to settle the bet.

Now, five years later and after spending more than �1,000 trying to find Patrick, the men have been reunited thanks to an appeal published in the Times.

Sebastian travelled back to North Somerset on October 24 and met Patrick for a pint the following day. They also enjoyed a round of golf together at Long Ashton Golf Club, where Patrick is a member, before Patrick travelled home on Thursday.

Sebastian, a politics and history teacher from Gladbeck, said: “It was a very nice evening – he is such a gentle and friendly guy and Pam is a lovely woman.

“First we talked about the crazy press coverage from last time I visited.

“After that we talked about golf, history, political issues.

“There was no bet involved when we played golf this time.

“We are staying in touch and I am planning on coming back to England next summer.”

In August, Sebastian asked reporters at the Times to help him find Patrick, who he knew lived in Portishead but had lost his full address.

He had spent a week in North Somerset looking for Patrick, spending every evening in The Black Horse and visiting his golf club, but to no avail.

After an appeal was published in the Times, Patrick contacted the paper and was put in touch with Sebastian, who had already returned to Germany but arranged to come back to North Somerset to buy Patrick the pint he owed him.