A NEW documentary from a Horwich director is set to feature on the BBC next month.

The programme looks at the daring mission taken by a team of British mercenaries to assassinate Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian drug lord.

Called Killing Escobar, the film tells the true story of Scottish mercenary and ex-SAS operative Peter McAleese, who was hired by a rival Colombian drug cartel to lead a small team of ex-special forces commandos on a mission to assassinate the world’s biggest drug baron.

The film uses video and pictures taken by the team of 12 mercenaries on the mission, with dramatic reconstruction of the helicopter assault on Escobar’s hacienda in 1989, with interviews of many involved.

The film has been directed by Horwich-born Bolton Wanderers fan David Whitney, who said this was one of his favourite projects he has ever worked on.

Watch the trailer here

David travelled across three different continents and talking to many involved on both sides, including the British mercenaries and people such as Jorge Salcedo, a member of the Cali cartel, which was a rival of Escobar’s.

Salcedo inspired the hit Netflix series Narcos.

David said: “It was a hugely interesting and fascinating experience. Travelling around the world to shoot something like this and learn all about it and talk to the people I did was great.

“It was definitely a challenging and exciting experience but a hugely fulfilling job.

“You did have to have a lot of security in some places with the people we were talking to but it was just an amazing experience.

“It was probably the most enjoyable shoot of my career. For the dramatic reconstructions we had weapons, helicopters and explosions, the crew was massive and they were great to work with."

Killing Escobar premieres at the Glasgow Film Festival on Sunday, followed by a cinema release next week.

It can be watched via the Home cinema in Manchester online at homemcr.org/film/killing-escobar.