WORK is still being carried out on completing the unique documentary Royston a Town at War. Chris Murphy, who has been responsible for creating the work, was hoping that at the end of last week the editing would have been done. But he said: It's provin

WORK is still being carried out on completing the unique documentary Royston - a Town at War. Chris Murphy, who has been responsible for creating the work, was hoping that at the end of last week the editing would have been done. But he said: "It's proving to be a massive job. It's like putting together a jigsaw." Mr Murphy and cameraman John Harwood spent 17 days on 'location' and both reckon the editing will take more than 200 hours. But Mr Murphy said the documentary will be ready for public consumption when it is screened at three sessions at Royston Town Hall next weekend. One of the keys to the making of the documentary has been the memories of people who were working and living on the Home Front during the Second World War. There are more than a dozen people who have given interviews about life during the war in Royston. "It showed that the war touched everyone and the stories some of these people are telling have not been heard before," said Mr Murphy. Such interviews include recollections of a bombing raid on Royston. "There's a good representation of memories from the time," he said. "It captures much of life in the war." Other recollections are of when Therfield Heath was used as a prisoner-of-war camp for captured German and Italian troops. "There are a lot of local memories, but it's not a definitive history of the time. It's memories of the people who were around at the time," said Mr Murphy, who is chairman of the Royston branch of the Royal Air Forces Association. To meet the costs of making the documentary, Mr Murphy received a grant of £7,750 from the National Lottery's Home Recall Fund, which was set-up for projects reflecting the 60th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War. The documentary recalls, too, the experiences of those on active service in Europe and the Far East. "We've explored a lot of different avenues," said Mr Murphy. - Royston - a Town at War will be launched at a special showing for guests - who will include Royston's mayor Cllr Bill Prime - at Royston Town Hall on Saturday, February 18. It will be screened on Saturday, February 18 at 6pm and on Sunday, February 19 at 11am and 3.30pm. Entry to the showings is free, but the audience is restricted to 200 people.