WORLD famous Horrible Histories writer Terry Deary was among packed audience for the opening night of his play The 11th Hour.

The stage at Bolton Library was transformed into a World War One trench for the powerful, moving and humourous play written as part of this year's commemorations to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War.

The 11th hour, directed by Mark Powell from Horwich, is set at the end of the First World War and tells the story of two soldiers, one German and one British, who meet and begin exchanging stories of their experiences during the war in the last hour before the war ends.

The two know they must kill each other. But before they do each learns about the life of the other in the minutes that lead up Armistice.

"The concept is simply that if two people from two different sides talk they lose the will to kill, it is as simple as that," said Terry, "It's the 11th hour of the 11th day and they have got an hour together when officially they are still at war and the time is ticking by. Are they going to obey orders and kill one another ­— that's the dramatic tension, the jeopardy, who is going to kill who if anybody."

The play stars Christopher Adams, who plays German soldier Marius and Austin Caley as British officer Austin Caley.

Christopher said: "At the start of the play the kids basically want us both to shoot each other. The kids really engage and they change their mind, they start seeing it less like a war game and they see them as humans."

Austin said: "Like the audience we go through many different emotions and it changes so quickly, one minute we are laughing at each other and about the circumstances we talk about in the trenches then there is a moment of darkness and we are reflecting on the bad images and the sounds then all of a sudden it is back to laughter."

Mark said: "I'm really proud to have brought this to Bolton, I was here for a talk on Vikings at school so it is lovely to come back now and to see the use of the theatre is really exciting. It was good to work with Terry, he works really fast."

Mark admitted it was nerve-racking having Terry watch the performance for the first time.

"He said well done, congratulations," said Mark.

Tickets are still available for the Friday showing at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm.

For tickets visit https://www.quaytickets.com/boltonalberthalls/Online/seatSelect.asp

Tickets are £5 plus booking fee.