Wonderful book that accompanies the Channel 4 series WWII's Great Escapes : The Freedom Trails. Having read the book and watched the final episode in the series, the book is a gripping companion to the series and fills in the gaps the television series simply cannot do. It's impossible to add all the information into a 40 minute episode and this is where books always win out.

Very well written, the book is both emotive and informative and along the way we are introduced to prisoners of war who have survived incredible odds and some of the amazing people who helped them escape the Germans. It's incredible to think how these everyday folk risked not only their lives but those of their families. Living in fear of discovery, day by day, the book tells of these heroes. People who never asked for the plaudits or glory, they simply thought they were doing what was right.

One of my favourite trails and stories was that of Bob Frost, a rear gunner in a downed Wellington MK3 bomber with a 4000lb bomb on board - destined for Essen. The plane took heavy fire ten minutes from the target and lost hydraulics but they continued on to drop the bomb. The plane went down and Frost landed in a field with a white parachute. He set off and eventually arrived at a village and his first introduction to the Belgian resistance and the Comet line which helped rescue 800 soldiers. Frost made his way out via France and the Pyrenees.

There are many more stories in the book, we are introduced to conmen and brave young women who risked everything. If there's one book you should read on escaping captivity in World War 2 then this is the one.