FOR Peterborough man Barrie Sylvester, the Blorenge, Sugarloaf, Deri, and Skirrid mountains that surround Abergavenny are not only reminders of nature's breathtaking beauty, but they also conjure up happy memories of how protected and safe he felt here as a child during World War Two.

Alongside thousands of other children across Britain who were were evacuated to rural areas during the war, Barrie spent a large part of his formative years in a place far removed from his home town of Folkestone, which in 1939 was notoriously nicknamed 'Bomb Alley.'

Now, 68 years after finding sanctuary and falling in love with a sleepy little South Wales market town he had never heard of, Barrie is set to appear in a new, five-part documentary series that covers the stories of 15 evacuees from across Britain.  

"Evacuees Reunited" presented by Michael Aspel is provisionally scheduled to appear on ITV1 at 5pm across the five days leading up to Christmas 2008 (exact transmission dates still to be confirmed at time of going to press.).

The series will tie in with the eve of the 70th anniversary of Operation Pied Piper, when over three million citizens, many of them children, were evacuated from target areas in major UK towns and cities that were about to come under attack by the Luftwaffe.

Barrie Sylvester is just one of the contributors to the series. Now 72 and living in Cambridgeshire, Barrie was evacuated at the age of five from his family home in Folkestone, Kent. 

His first billet was in Llanfoist, Monmouthshire, after which he was moved to Westgate Buildings in Abergavenny.

"Superb" is the word Barrie uses to describe his time living with local woman Mrs Williams and her family. 

She took him in on condition that he join the Salvation Army and learn an instrument. 

From that point on he discovered a love of music that has lasted him a lifetime. 

Barrie went on to become a military bandsman and perform at many famous events, including the wedding of Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier of Monaco, the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill and the 1966 World Cup Final in which England beat Germany 4-2.

Barrie has made several return trips to Abergavenny over the years, but his latest trip last week involved a special surprise.

With help from his many friends in the town, notably Angela Davies, Michael Aspel was able to spring a surprise reunion with residents, dignitaries and a Salvation Army band.

Barrie told the Chronicle, "I cannot put into words how wonderful the experiences I enjoyed last week here were.

"I regard Abergavenny as my second home, and coming back here is such a joy. Michael Aspel is a lovely man, and although the filming was a lot of fun, it didn't half wear me out."

Barrie, who received an Emerald Award from the National Blood Donation Service for donating 75 pints of blood over the course of his life, was filmed visiting all the old landmarks and sites that left such an impression on him as a young boy.

Barrie said, "One of the highlights was returning to the canal in Llanfoist, the scene of so many happy childhood memories. We then to the old Salvation Army Church in Sunny Bank, and visited Pant Lane and Victoria Street. All places that are so emotionally evocative for me.

"I remember standing by the red telephone box on Tudor Street, just opposite Laundry Place, being interviewed by Michael Aspel, and thinking how strange it was to be standing on the site of my old house (No.2 Westgate Building).

"I joked to the camera crew that my old slippers were probably still under that telephone box.

"It's quite remarkable how Abergavenny has changed over the years. Tudor Street seems so wide, and there seems to be so much traffic on it. However I still believe that Abergavenny still has the unique charm and character it did back then, and hopefully always will."

The most emotional point in the filming for Barrie came when he was walking through Abergavenny Castle with Michael Aspel, and the presenter surprised Barrie with a 'this is your life moment.'

Barrie explains, "We were walking and talking together, when Michael said to me, 'So Barrie I suppose you've made a lot of good friends in Abergavenny, and it would be nice if we were to bump into them.' I replied 'yes' and before you knew it we walked through this gap in the castle wall, and there they all were - friends I had made in Abergavenny over the years in one big group.

"It was so nice. There was a Salvation Army band present and they played my all-time favourite hymn 'To God Be The Glory.' It was all I could do to hold back the tears.

"It was the perfect end to a perfect day to be back with such good friends as Angela Davies and former mayor Martin Hickman and his wife Alison.

"In fact, I met the new mayor John Prosser, and he said next time I'm in town he'll throw a cocktail party in his parlour.

"The day was typical of the warm welcome I've always received in Abergavenny, and as such a little piece of my heart will always stay in this lovely little town, guarded and protected by the majesty of your surrounding mountains."

Michael Aspel told the Chronicle after filming, "I have great empathy with the evacuees in the series, because I was an evacuee myself. I was born in south-west London in 1933, so I was nearly six when war broke out. I was packed off to Somerset with my older sister and younger brother, and I spent four years in the town of Chard." 

Barrie and Michael's story are just two of fifteen to be featured in the forthcoming series, alongside the experiences of a variety of adults in their 70s and 80s who have fascinating and often astonishing stories to tell.

The programmes follow their attempts to revisit the towns and villages where they were once billeted, and each show will feature a number of reunions.