THE people of a community which befriended enemy prisoners in the Second World War have re-lived their memories for a television documentary.

A documentary crew working for BBC2 history programme Timewatch met people from the Stanhill area of Oswaldtwistle to ask them about the area's former prison camp.

Director and producer Catrine Clay said: "The documentary is about the British reaction to German prisoners of war, and it is all about building bridges. This small community reached out to the prisoners of war."

The Stanhill Camp in Oswaldtwistle was set up between Knuzden and Stanhill on a former anti-aircraft gun site.

The camp housed Italian prisoners until their release in 1945, after which it was used as a prison for 200 captured German soldiers. The site was excavated during the building of the M65 Blackburn to Bamber Bridge extension.

Some of the prisoners at Stanhill Camp forged friendships with local people, with some still going strong.

One former airman, Hans Vallentin, felt so at home that he settled in Oswaldtwistle and raised a family.

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