SITTING in their homes in various parts of { family settled down to watch the World at War series on TV.

This particular episode, focusing on the desert, was of particular interest for husband and father Robert Johnson had been captured in Tamara, North Africa in 1943.

And, suddenly, there he was on the screen, in the lines of prisoners shown marching through a compound in Tunisia.

His widow Elizabeth, son Roy and daughter Beryl were all quick to the phone, amazed that he had been in their homes.

Although that scene occurred more than 20 years ago, the family has only recently got hold of DVDs of the series and been able to capture a clear, still photograph of Robert.

Roy told the Lancashire Telegraph: “It was a million to one chance that dad was caught on film after being captured and us seeing it 40 years on.

"But it’s something we will treasure, now we have the photo.”

Robert returned to Blackburn after the war, living in Bower Street with his young family, but the family believes his experiences as a prisoner of war led to his death at 53.

Although Robert worked in a reserve occupation, weaving felt for the paper mills, at Scapa Dryers, he enlisted in the army in 1941 and became a gunner in the Royal Artillery.

Roy said: “The story is that he joined up because he was refused a ½d an hour pay rise and became very disillusioned.

“His second child, my sister, was on the way and he needed more money to feed the family.”

Two years later he was captured by the Italians, but was later transferred to German hands, until the war ended.

“He wouldn’t go back to Scapa, instead he stood on Blackburn market, selling fenting, helped by the owner of Elswick Mill, Mellor, who had also paid for a welcome home dinner for all prisoners of war from the town,” said Roy.