TWO North-East soldiers, forgotten by history, could become stars of the silver screen, as their daring prison escape is turned into a Hollywood blockbuster.

Friends Tom Stallard and Johnnie Cousens, both of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI), masterminded one of the Second World War’s most daring prison escapes – leading comrades to from freedom from the Oflag VI-B camp near Warburg, Germany.

Of the 40 men involved in the Warburg Wire Job, dubbed Operation Olympian because it encompassed men from across the Commonwealth, 32 escaped.

For decades, the breakout has been overshadowed by the 1944 escape from Stalag Luft III.

But now Hollywood executives are hoping for a “new Great Escape”, having snapped up the movie rights to military historian Mark Felton’s chronicle of the events of August, 30 1942: Zero Night.

Production firm Essential 11 USA, the makers of the 2013 Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson hit Saving Mr Banks, have signed an “option”, giving them the rights to the story for the next three years.

Dr Felton said a number of “A-list” Hollywood stars had expressed an interest in the project and Essential 11 had invited him to consider who he would like to take the lead roles.

The Essex author said he could not name names, but those involved were very exciting.

“I’m very, very pleased. It’s very, very exciting,” he said.

“Essential 11 did a fantastic job with Saving Mr Banks and to have that same team working on this is very pleasing.”

Next, a script must be written and funding sourced. Dr Felton hopes to act as a historical consultant on the project.

Major Stallard, a charismatic 37-year-old from Somerset, led Allied prisoners to freedom via a series of makeshift ladders propped against the prison camp’s perimeter fence.

Wood was plundered from a wrecked hut and the ladders were crafted in the camp’s music room, where the sawing and hammering was drowned out by the sound of instruments.

Maj Cousens’ role was to distract the guards during the escape.

Both men survived the war and lived into their 70s but spoke little about their wartime experiences.

Dr Felton’s Zero Night was published late last year and an Essential 11 producer got in touch after hearing the author interviewed on an Australian radio station.