DURING the Second World War the BBC found it impossible to remain in the capital to broadcast news, music and vital war updates to the nation.

Bombings were sweeping London so the service was forced to relocate, and from that point the broadcasts came from 'somewhere in England'.

That somewhere was Bedford.

The BBC provided the nation's entertainment, broadcasting from Bedford's Corn Exchange (pictured left)and also assisted the war effort by recording encoded messages during regular programming.

The Symphony Orchestra was based here with the BBC, and our town saw a flurry of huge names in the music industry passing through not just our sound waves, but our streets.

Famous personalities included David Niven, Vera Lynn, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

Glenn Miller and his orchestra conducted a morale boosting tour of concerts and our town was the place of his final performance before his plane went missing over the English Channel and he was never seen again.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's VE Day Address was also made from St Paul's Church, as was the National Day of Prayer.

This was a huge secret that was not fully revealed until well after the war was over, but now the dust has settled it has become a huge feature of our past.

Bedford boasts a wealth of history, some of it is very well known thanks to the likes of John Bunyan, William Harpur and John Howard.

Other stories are rarely told – have you heard about the hanging of the 'poisoner' Sarah Dazley, or the truth about the A6 murders?

Nothing is off limits in an upcoming performance celebrating the 450th anniversary celebrations of the Harpur Trust.

Director Mark Burgess has been researching our town's famous, and hidden, history in preparation.

Mark said: "I had known that the BBC had broadcast from Bedford during World War Two, and felt this was the ideal centrepiece for this performance.

"They were here for four years and more than 8,000 broadcasts were made from this town so it is a huge piece of wartime history.

"The phrasing of 'somewhere in England' felt like a perfect title for this piece of theatre, and it felt natural to use the presenters of the BCC as a guide through history."

The show spans 800 years, as 2016 also marks the anniversary of the Bedford charter, and utilises an orchestra to bring history to life.

It will uncover the lives of key Bedfordians, famous people connected to the town, even Nelson Mandela, and the stories behind some of the town's landmarks, including the Cardington Hangars, The Bedford Swan Hotel and Bedford's iconic bridges.

Not to mention murkier tales of Sarah Dazley and those infamous murders.

Mark said: "'My aim in writing the play was to encapsulate the history and spirit of the town within the space of a two hour stage production.

"I wanted many of the familiar people, places and events to be represented as well as some of the less familiar ones.

"I see this show as being of the ethos once spoken by John Reith from the BBC, which is to educate, inform and entertain – but I put the entertain first.

"Bedford has a fascinating past and I hope that this piece of theatre can show that.

"I want to make it clear that this is not a lecture, this is a full theatre performance with acting, lighting, and live music."

The show runs from Thursday, September 8 to Wednesday, September 14. Visit quarrytheatre.org.uk/ to book tickets.