A FORMER prisoner of war camp has been brought back to life - despite being swallowed-up by the M65 extension.

Oswaldtwistle Civic Society commissioned model maker John Whittaker to re-create Stanhill Camp in 3D for the benefit of future generations before the last remains of the site disappeared. Civic Society secretary Winnie Hogan said: "The camp played an important role in the lives of local residents during the Second World War and we were keen to have a permanent reminder.

"We plan to put it on display in our new visitor centre which we hope will open later this year."

Motorway contractors helped with the project by providing surveys of the site. John, 56, of Quaker Lane, Darwen, also did research to make the scale model, which took 12 weeks to complete, as accurate as possible. He said: "I didn't have much to go off by I am pretty confident is a good likeness of the camp.

"I have added some interesting touches like miniature goods from the era and even a milk cart."

The camp housed around 200 captured German soldiers after being set up on the Knuzden-Stanhill boundary on a former anti-aircraft gun site.

The model's completion coincides with the launch of a book on the camp called When Enemies Become Friends by Pamela Howe Taylor, a true account of how prisoners forged friendships with local people which are still going strong.

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