THE real life story of a Bradford soldier has inspired a new TV series in which Emmerdale stars explore village life during the First World War.

A century after the end of the conflict, Emmerdale 1918 examines wartime Esholt, where the ITV soap used to be filmed. Bradford World War 1 Group was contacted by producers to advise on the series.

Viewers will see Emmerdale's famous faces leave the set behind and step back into the past to celebrate unsung local heroes who drove the war effort. From Woolpack chef to real wartime cook, village vicar to battlefield priest, telly farmer to country land girl and Emmerdale vet to a frontline vet, the series is inspired by real life stories of gallantry, sacrifice and heartbreak.

In future episodes of Emmerdale 1918, Charlotte Bellamy (Laurel Thomas) examines letters from the pub landlord’s son, and Natalie J Robb, (Moria Dingle), looks at Esholt’s Women’s Land Army.

In the first episode, which aired last night, Mark Charnock learned about First World War chef Fred Brocklehurst, from Toller Lane, Bradford. Mark, who plays pub chef Marlon Dingle, prepared food for hungry troops and learned about front line conditions that Fred cooked in, amidst gunfire, explosions, bodies, mud and rats.

LCpl Fred Brocklehurst served in the 6th Btn West Yorks Regiment. In October, 1915 the Bradford Weekly Telegraph reported that he was injured by shellfire in a trench on the Yser Canal, north of Ypres. Fred was admitted to the Field Ambulance with a shrapnel wound in his back and returned to his unit nine days later. He survived a gas attack on the Canal and further fighting, and was appointed Battalion HQ cook.

Bradford WW1 Group president Tricia Platts said Fred’s service papers revealed a Court Martial conviction. While billeted with his battalion at a village called Souich in winter 1915 he was found guilty by a Field General Court Martial of stealing coal from a villager. Lt Col HO Wade, commanding officer of the Territorials, blamed staff servants at the village in preceding days, but Fred was sentenced to 56 days Field Punishment and had his medals withheld. After the war he contacted a Bradford solicitor - who happened to be Lt Col HO Wade. He wrote a letter in support of Fred and his medals were returned.

Tricia Platts said: “Linking Emmerdale characters to people in WW1 Bradford has been an interesting challenge, one which brings home to us that 100 years ago these men and women were ‘ordinary folk called upon to do extraordinary things’ in a bitterly fought war; something most of us will never face.”

* Emmerdale 1918 is on ITV, Thursdays at 8.30pm.