Nazi-themed holiday camp 'Butlitz' guests paid £30 to live like prisoners of war

• The bizarre Nazi themed camp was based at a disused Hampshire hospital
• Guests paid £30 each to live the life of a World War II PoW for the weekend
• They would be watched by guards in SS uniform and put in isolation tanks
• The pictures also show them held at gunpoint and lining up for inspection

By Hannah Parry For Mailonline

Published: 06:22 EST, 7 January 2015 | Updated: 07:09 EST, 7 January 2015

Watched over by guards in full SS uniforms, held at gunpoint and ordered to line up for inspection, these incredible black and white photographs look like they were taken of prisoners of war in Germany during the Second World War.

But in reality, they were shot at a bizarre British-based Nazi themed holiday camp known as Butlitz in the 1980s.

Based at a disused hospital at Weyhill, near Andover in Hampshire, guests paid £30 each to live the life of a PoW for the weekend.

Watched over by guards in full SS uniforms, held at gunpoint and ordered to line up for inspection (pictured) these incredible black and white photographs look like they were taken of German prisoners of war during the Second World War

It is believed the 50 'SS' guards were made up of members of a military re-enactment society and the men staying at the compound were encouraged to escape.

On arrival at the compound, which was surrounded by a 10ft high barbed wire perimeter fence, they were greeted by German marching songs blaring from speakers.

The visitors were then ordered to line up for an inspection by the 'Camp Commandant' Bob Acraman who organised the 'holiday.'

But the extraordinary set of black and white photos were actually shot at a British-based Nazi-themed holiday camp known as Butlitz

A 'prisoner' is taken back to the camp, where guests paid £30 to live the life of a prisoner of war for a weekend, at gunpoint by a German soldier after trying to escape

One of the photos shows a bespectacled Nazi pointing a pistol at one of the prisoners as he was brought back to camp after attempting to flee, while another shows a man sat in an isolation tank.

Those caught trying to escape were made to sit in a metal chamber for up to half an hour. In one photo a guard can be seen manning a watchtower but it is not apparent if he is wearing a Nazi uniform.

Former paratroop regiment sergeant Mr Acraman was quoted at the time about his unusual venture.

He said: 'We have a big tower here and when someone said to me that it looks like a prisoner of war camp it gave me the idea of running a holiday camp on prison lines.

He added: 'I am now looking around to buy a train to bring people here in cattle trucks. If I can't get one I shall probably use old army lorries and shunt them down in those.

Guests were watched over by guards in full SS uniforms who are believed to have been made up of members of a military re-enactment society

Punishments for paying visitors at the camp included being put into an isolation tank (pictured) for up to half an hour

The unusual holiday camp was created by former paratroop regiment sergeant Bob Acraman who played the part of Camp Commandant

'There are plenty of people around who are just as crazy as I am. They'll enjoy it, in fact we'll make sure they enjoy it.'

'Prisoners will be interrogated for information. On arriving at the camp people will be briefed, given army ranks and then their photographs will be taken.'

When asked where the visitors to his camp had come from Mr Acraman replied: 'Mainly London.'

Gary Howard, of Ilford, Essex, was quoted at the time saying he had managed to flee the camp.

He said: 'I was in a pretty bad state because I walked for 45 miles. I had to ring up the camp and asked to be picked up.

'I had no money, no food and no help from anybody and got soaked to the skin three times. I think I felt what it felt like to be a PoW.'