A FIRST World War recruitment drive has been re-enacted - exactly 100 years after it took place.

In September, 1914, a recruitment event was held at Settle's Victoria Hall, which resulted in 87 of Craven men going off to the battlefields of the Grear War.

And, on Sunday, the event was brought back to life by students and staff of The Skipton Academy in a historically accurate re-enactment.

It marked the launch of a series of special promenade performances of the acclaimed production, Tunstill’s Men, which tells the true story of Craven recruitment campaigner Harry Gilbert Tunstill.

Cllr Simon Myers, lead member for Enterprising Craven, said: “This is a unique opportunity for the local community to learn about the events that took place in Craven 100 years ago and to commemorate the sacrifices made by those men and women whose lives were affected forever.”

The young actors will be travelling around the district re-enacting events in the exact locations where local men were recruited a century ago.

Craven and the First World War project officer Robert Freeman added: “Tunstill’s Men is an immersive and emotive performance that draws the audience in to experience exactly what the people of Craven went through at the start of the First World War.

"It is particularly poignant that the events of September 1914 are being recreated on the very dates and in the exact locations that they happened a century ago.”

The series is part of the Craven and the First World War project, which has been funded by the Heritage Lottery and aims to build a greater understanding of life in Craven during the First World War.

The performance schedule is: Sunday, Settle (meet at Holy Ascension Church at 5.15pm), Tuesday, Grassington (meet at Methodist Church at 5.15pm) and next Friday and Saturday, Skipton (meet at Holy Trinity Church at 5.30pm).

Tickets cost £2.50 for adults and £1.50 for children and can be booked through Victoria Hall on 01729 825718 or at settlevictoriahall.org.uk

Meanwhile, the progress of Tunstill’s recruitment campaign and the story of A Company from 1914 to 1919 can be followed, day-by-day, via an online diary created by Dr Bill Smith, head of humanities at The Skipton Academy. The account can be seen at tunstillsmen.blogspot.co.uk

Also see our history feature on page 30.