A gripping war film by a Warminster-based screenwriter, telling the true story of a group of British soldiers trapped in an old Soviet minefield in Afghanistan, is currently receiving widespread critical acclaim.

Tom Williams, who lives in Norton Bavant with his wife Kate and their three children, started working on Kajaki: The True Story with director Paul Katis after making a training film with him for the British Army in 2010.

After researching stories from the Afghanistan conflict, the pair came across the incredible story of a group of soldiers from the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, who were trapped in an unmarked minefield at the Kajaki Dam in 2006.

Mr Williams, pictured right at the premiere, worked closely with the survivors to write the script, which follows the soldiers as they attempt to rescue a comrade who is seriously injured after detonating one of the landmines.

The 39-year-old said: “We initially started researching stories to inspire a fictional story, but then we came across this story at the Kajaki Dam, which we thought was very original and interesting.

“It is quite a different war story as it doesn’t confront the politics; it just looks at 12 guys stuck in a minefield. I spent over a year and a half tracking down those involved as there is an obligation to do that when retelling a true story.

“We went the extra yard to make sure it was as accurate as possible, even down to the equipment and the setting. We shot it in Jordan, but we used pictures of the site to make it look realistic and the guys who have seen it said it really took them back.

“The highest praise we could get is a thumbs-up from the soldiers who were there and the feedback so far has been great. It’s not your typical Christmas crowd pleaser, but we wanted to tell this story how it was.”

Kajaki: The True Story was released in VUE cinemas in November. Following critical acclaim it is also being screened across the country at selected Odeon, Showcase and Kino cinemas.

Mr Williams added: “It is an incredible incident and the guys are all amazing characters. All the best lines are taken verbatim and we didn’t make anything up, which is what makes it such an original experience. I’m very proud of it.” For details of where to see the film, visit www.kajakimovie.com