A BOOK detailing a dairng break from Chelmsford Prison during the first World War has been released.

The book, available on Amazon an entitled Prison Escapes, by Jack Chatham tells the story of Lieutenant Lehmann and Lieutenant Otto Thelan, who were serving time in Chelmsford prison in May 1917.

Chelmsford was used to house high risk German prisoners.

They replaced a lock on their cell with a dummy lock, out dummies in their bed and avoided being seen before scaling the prison walls.

They were eventually captured two days later outside Basildon, having followed a route that took them close to the Hanningfields.