King Kev leads official opening of Ramside Hall's £8m spa

The former Newcastle player and manger, who also led England's national side, led the celebrations at Ramside Hall Hotel's spa in Durham.

Keegan is due to appear at the hotel tonight in a talk in aid of Wateraid, with the owners of the business asking him to unveil a plaque to mark today's official launch.

The spa, which had been in the pipeline for six years before it welcomed its first guests in August, is part of a £16million extension which also includes a second golf course and 47 more bedrooms.

It features 14 treatment rooms, a 25metre pool, sleep pods, a mud chamber and hydrotherapy pool and an Asian-themed restaurant, Fusion, with 70 jobs created by the new development.

Managing director John Adamson said Keegan had been a friend of his family's since his days at Newcastle in the 1980s, when he got to know his late father Michael.

Mr Adamson said: "I think it's a great honour to have Kevin here.

"My dad got to know him when he was a player and manager at Newcastle and this being a health spa and club, I couldn't think of anyone better from the North East."

He added the spa now his 700 members, with proposals for further development including lodges being considered as the business grows.

Keegan said before Mr Adamson and a crowd of staff: "It's a great pleasure for me. I knew his dad very very well.

"You have to be as old as me to appreciate what you've done here, it's incredible. Every time I come I think I'm coming to the wrong place, you've opened a golf club, now you've got another golf course, the hotel just keeps growing and getting better and better and your dad would be very proud."