A NEW addition at the Keep Military Museum that offers an insight to life for First World War soldiers on the front line is proving a hit with visitors.

As part of the Dorchester museum’s efforts to commemorate the centenary of the war it has re-opened its Trench Experience exhibition following a major rebuild.

The exhibition was originally opened by former BBC correspondent Kate Adie and has since been reworked to give visitors an idea of what it would have been like to serve on the Western Front.

The Keep’s curator Chris Copson and custodian John Murphy worked tirelessly with volunteers to create a recreation of part of a First World War trench to offer visitors an immersive experience.

The new trench features a company headquarters and ‘other ranks’ dugout as well as a section of a frontline and communication trench.

The attraction is part of the museum’s efforts to mark the centenary of the First World War, which have received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Mr Copson said since the trench opened there has been a really positive feedback and urged more people to come and check out the new addition.

He added: “We are really pleased to have opened the new Trench Experience, which we hope will give our visitors an idea of what it would be like to be a soldier on the Western Front.

“This is part of an HLF funded project which will develop over the next three years to reflect the events of the First World War.

“Our visitors will be able to sit in a soldier's bunk, try on a uniform, pick up a rifle and experience the sounds and smells of the battlefield.

“Watch out for the rats!"

Mr Copson said that the trench was all part of keeping the memory of the First World War alive.

He said: “If you want to know why World War One is important you can take a look at any war memorial and you'll find as many as three times the number of names of people killed in the First World War compared to World War Two.

“Without wishing to belittle the achievements of our forces in the Second World War, British military casualties in that war were around a quarter of a million as opposed to approximately three quarters of a million in World War One.

For more information visit keepmilitarymuseum.org