Former Ledbury town and county councillor Andrew Warmington has launched a book series on Britain's post-war capital punishment.

The first volume of a 12-part series, 'The End of the Rope, Volume 1 – The Remnants of War, 1945', hit bookshelves this month.

Mr Warmington said: "True crime has always been my guilty pleasure.

"Post-war capital punishment was my first ever specialised subject on Mastermind back in 2005 and I had long wanted to write about it."

Penned during a period Andrew spent on furlough, the volume covers the system of capital murder, taking a deep dive into 15 cases between 1945 until its abolition in 1965.

It explores the hanging of two American soldiers under US Military Law at Shepton Mallet, two groups of German prisoners of war who lynched suspected ‘traitors’ in POW camps, and the infamous 'Lord Haw Haw', the last person executed for treason.

Including local interest, it recalls Ronald Mauri, who fled London after his girlfriend's murder, leading him to a shoot-out on the River Monnow's banks.

"Almost everyone has heard of Ruth Ellis and 10 Rillington Place," said Mr Warmington.

"My books will give equal weight to the obscure but no less fascinating cases."

Andrew teases: "In the first volume, for example, I examine the cases of a Canadian soldier who tried to use a breakout from a German POW camp in Bridgend to murder his girlfriend, and a man who was hanged for his part in a robbery down a side street in Soho where his accomplice beat a soldier to death but got away and was never found.”

Readers can find the book available for purchase at the Three Counties Bookshop in Ledbury for £9.99.

Those who prefer a personal touch can order a copy directly from Mr Warmington, who will be happy to sign it, at a.warmington@btinternet.com.