A LEADING historian has accused the BBC of snubbing the sacrifices of Worcestershire Regiment soldiers in its documentary-drama on the heroic Dunkirk evacuation.

Hugh Sebag-Montefiore fears the three-night BBC2 series could give the impression that the Worcesters and soldiers of the Worcestershire Yeomanry did nothing remarkable in France in June, 1940.

However, the author, who is writing a book about Dunkirk and other evacuations from France that year, says the two regiments fought bravely to make the escape of hundreds of thousands possible.

The Worcesters' heroic actions included:

n Most of the 7th Battalion's front-line men being wounded, captured or killed in a stand-off against hundreds of German tanks chasing soldiers to the beaches.

n The 8th Battalion's bloody last stand around the village of Bambecque, during which many of the captured were summarily executed.

The Worcestershire Yeomanry, known as the 53rd Anti-tank Regiment, also:

n Fought an heroic four-day battle in defence of Cassel, during which its gunners destroyed 25 German tanks before abandoning the strategically important hill town.

Mr Sebag-Montefiore, author of the best-selling Enigma: The Battle for the Code, admitted that the part-drama, part-documentary - which concluded last night - "could not possibly have found time to mention all the regiments who fought bravely at Dunkirk".

But the film "could give the people in Worcestershire the impression that soldiers from their area did not do anything very remarkable in France in 1940", he told the Evening News.

Major Bob Prophet, of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, the successor of the Worcestershire Regiment, echoed the historian's view.

"It's a great shame the heroics of these men wasn't included. There were many such acts by these soldiers, who gave their lives, were wounded or captured fighting for their country."

The BBC said it would have been impossible to include all the regiments among the 500,000 Allied soldiers in the evacuation.

Publicity officer Kay Breeze denied the series had snubbed Worcestershire soldiers.

"In a three-hour drama, we focused on certain stories to highlight the heroism of everyone who took part. It would be impossible to include everyone."

Any ex-servicemen or families who wants to help Mr Sebag-Montefiore tell the story of the regiments, the British Expeditionary Force, the Royal Navy or the 'little ships' in the campaign in Belgium and France 1940, can call him on 0207 435 1035.