ONE of the UK’s best-known historians helped give a major boost to a leading wildlife research charity.

Sir Max Hastings visited the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick Garrison to give a talk on how Europe went to war in 1914.

The event, sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, was organised by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and raised £6,000 for the charity.

Sir Max also signed copies of his new book Catastrophe for the benefit of the charity, of which he is a trustee.

Catastrophe has already sold almost 200,000 copies in Britain alone, and has been widely applauded as the pre-eminent recent narrative of the outbreak of war.

The trust’s regional fund-raiser, Sophie Dingwall, said: “It was a privilege to listen to Sir Max Hastings in this poignant centenary year. He spoke with great eloquence for over an hour captivating the audience throughout.”

The regional director of Brewin Dolphin, William Baker, said: "Sir Max’s talk was fascinating and his knowledge of the subject is enormously impressive."

All the money raised will go towards funding the Trust's vital and ground-breaking scientific research.