Inside Somerset’s top-secret decoy cities that saved thousands of lives in World War Two

The crew that operating the Black Down site - (Supplied)

It would play a part in one of the most cunning and downright dangerous Second World War deceptions on British soil – but the stories of those who built and ran it remain largely unknown.

Situated on the rugged slopes of the Mendips in Somerset, a decoy city replicating Bristol, some 18 miles away, was created, featuring a road network, the city’s Temple Meads railway station and the important Avonmouth Docks.