They left their wives and sweethearts behind to put on a soldier's uniform and carry a gun. Volunteers, each and every one, they were ready to face everything the enemy could throw at them.

But the harsh reality of living in the trenches of Northern France would prove too much for some . . .

It sounds like the horror of fighting in World War One, where British soldiers faced snipers and daily gas attacks in one of the bloodiest military conflicts in modern history.

But these volunteers were 24 men prepared to take part in a television reconstruction of life in the trenches. The Trench tries to copy the terrible conditions faced by the British Tommy.

Newcastle campaigner John Hipkin, 75, of the World War I Veterans Association, said: "I was sceptical when I first heard of the programme.

"You can't recreate impending death, the terror of facing a gas attack, or the possibility of getting trench foot.

"But it does bring a shadow of reality to the kind of life faced by British soldiers.

"Those who took part in the programme have been moved to find out if their great-grandfathers fought in the war, and that's a good thing.

"We believe there are only 130 World War I veterans left alive and I am pleased a television programme is keeping their memory alive."

John was not born at the time of the conflict but did serve in World War II.

He has campaigned for pardons for British deserters who were executed by their own side.

The BBC say they were at pains to create an authentic feel for the series.

Volunteers spent 11 days undergoing intensive training at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, before going to France.

They learned basic military discipline and were given instruction in the use of gas masks and trench repairs.

The daily routine and even the kind of meals given to them were based on real-life experiences of the time.

The documentary uses the official war diaries of the 10th Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment from Hull to recreate the autumn of 1916.

Real-life veteran Harry Petch, 102, recalled: "We were scared and if anyone tells you he wasn't scared, he's a damn liar. We were scared all the time."

Harry is one of several old soldiers who, despite their age and infirmity, speak of their experiences for the programme.

Graphic designer Craig Wright, of Hull, may not have feared for his life when he took part in the reconstruction.

But he said the experience opened his eyes to the sacrifices made by an older generation.

He said: "It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but it is nothing compared to the real thing.

"It's been said that you can't recreate the mortal fear, or the smell, or the rats. But we were sharing the living, not the dying, in the trench.

"The experience of getting up before dawn and trying to shave in the dark helped me understand a little of what it was like."

Craig said a feeling of camaraderie quickly developed among the volunteers who took part in The Trench.

Series producer Dick Colthurst said the horrors of World War I will soon be beyond living memory.

And he said that's why so much effort was put into making the experiment accurate.

Dick said: "We built an authentic trench system in Northern France based on the original Royal Engineers' photographs.

"Our men were cold and wet in the same way as the soldiers would be.

"Everything was done by the book. They would get up before dawn because that was the most likely time for an enemy attack.

"They had to undergo feet inspections, eat the same kind of food, and support each through the bad times."

The need for a programme reliving the experience is underlined by the deaths, one by one, of veterans.

Norman Cowan, of Ponteland, Northumberland, recently died at 103. He lied about his age so that he could join the Northumberland Hussars at 16.

Norman took part in one of the British Army's last-ever cavalry charges but he was shot from his horse and taken prisoner during the Battle of the Somme in August 1918.

John Hipkin said: "There are few people left who can say at first-hand what it was like.

"That's why this programme is so important."

V The Trench starts on Friday, BBC2, 9pm.

Horror memories haunt Army cop

A former North military cop has revealedt how the horrors he witnessed on duty have ruined his life.

The man decided to speak out after we revealed last week how a mass legal action involving nearly 2000 former services personnel - including 400 from the North - was to start last Monday.

He was part of the Royal Military Police in Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles and revealed a catalogue of cruelty which still haunts him.

The officer, who did not want to be named, spoke of the petrol bomb ambush which claimed the life of his best pal.

And he recalled a savage attack by the IRA on a Catholic girl who went out with a soldier.

The former MP found her tied with barbed wire to a lamppost after being tarred, feathered and her knees drilled through by a power drill.

The Newcastle man, now 54, revealed how his friend was killed during a petrol bomb attack on their vehicle while they were on unarmed patrol.

With tragic irony, he died of a heart attack brought on by inhaling fumes from the fire extinguisher used to put out the flames as they sped away.

After his tour of Northern Ireland in the notorious Bogside area of Londonderry the cop suffered panic attacks, nightmares and grew aggressive and suicidal.

All are classic symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD.

He said: "I saw an Army psychiatrist but he said nothing was wrong. "I knew I couldn't handle it any more and decided to leave.

"My wife was also an RMP and we ended up divorced."

The 2000 claimants taking the MoD to court say say there was a failure to diagnose and treat the PTSD they suffered.

If successful, it could cost the Government £500 million in compensation and legal fees.

The former MP, who served for 12 years from 1967, is not part of the action launched at the High Court in London.

But he is to see Dr David Jones, the psychiatrist involved in the lawsuit.

Job lost for taste of fame

Trench warfare broke out when graphic designer Craig Wright asked his boss for time off to take part in a television programme on World War I.

Craig wanted four weeks away from work to recreate life in the trenches for British soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Somme.

But his Geordie boss told him: "Your company needs you."

It was an echo of the famous wartime recruiting poster when Lord Kitchener asked for volunteers with the rallying call: "Your country needs you."

Boss Barry Lee put his foot down and refused permission for Craig to take part in the programme.

That's when Craig - who was in line for promotion - quit his job.

Craig said: "I liked the job but could not pass up the opportunity to be on the television.

"The programme was originally going to take three weeks but it changed to four.

"Barry was not happy with giving me so much time off and said I had to chose between the job and the programme.

"I even volunteered to take some of the time in unpaid leave but he wasn't having it.

"He said I was stupid and he hoped I would get trench foot."

British troops in the war often developed trench foot when the constantly wet and muddy conditions rotted their flesh.

Craig, of Hull, has since found another job after making friends with another volunteer who took part in the BBC series The Trench.

Barry, of L and I Marketing, of Hessle, near Hull, was unrepentant.

He said: "I admit telling Craig I hoped he would get trench foot but it was in the nicest possible way with no malice behind it.

"I could not understand why he would put an appearance on television before his job.

"He's a nice guy, and he was in the running to become studio manager, but the company comes first."

Barry said he would consider employing Craig again if a suitable position came up.