THE FASCINATING story of a Sale man - who despite being seriously injured in the First World War went on to found one of the country's leading zoo's - is set to be featured in a new six part drama Our Zoo on BBC 1 next week.

George Mottershead, was born at Lindow Terrace (now Lindow Street), on June 12, 1894, to parents Lucy and Albert, a nurseryman.

According to local historian George Cogswell, who researched Mr Mottershead's background, by 1901 the family was living at Old Hall Road, Sale Moor, and then in 1912/13 moved around the corner to Northenden Road.

A family day out to Belle Vue Zoo to celebrate the end of the Anglo-Boer War in 1902, when George was eight, left an indelible impression on the nature and animal-loving boy.

George was horrified by the foul and smelly conditions, particularly those endured by a caged elephant, and vowed to build a 'zoo without bars' when he grew up.

When George was 16, he left his father's garden nursery and branched out on his own by organising keep fit classes and within three years was running three physical culture schools - the gyms of the day.

With the outbreak of the First War, he closed the schools and joined the army. During home leave he got married to Elizabeth Atkinson, aged 27, of Wardle Road, Sale at St Mary Magdalene Church, Ashton on Mersey.

George was wounded nine months later, after a bullet went though his neck and grazed his spinal cord. leaving him completely paralysed. He was treated at Highfield Military Hospital, Knotty Ash.

While George survived the carnage of the conflict, two of his four brothers - Albert and Stanley - were killed. They are commemorated on the Sale war memorial and St Ann's Church war memorial, Sale Moor

George’s own physical fitness, strength and determination saved him from spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He drove himself back to mobility and within three years he could walk unaided, although with a severe limp.

In 1920, George, his wife Elizabeth, their three-year-old daughter Muriel, and George's parents left Sale.

They moved to a farm cottage in Shavington, near Crewe. George opened a small zoo here.

In 1930 George bought seven acres of land at Upton-by-Chester for £3,500. There was large scale local opposition to his plan to open a zoo in the area.

However, approval was finally granted after a public Inquiry and Chester Zoo first opened its gates on June 10, 1931.

The zoo eventually established a global reputation for its conservation, educational and environmental work while George earned national and international recognition, including the OBE in 1973, five years before his death aged 83.

The TV series picks up on George's war time experiences which haunt him throughout his life and his deep seated love for animals. Against the odds he persuades the bank to lend him the money to buy Oakfield. But once George has persuaded his sceptical family to move into their new ramshackle house, the whole family faces the tough task of convincing the genteel and hard-to-please villagers to accept them as neighbours. George thinks it best to keep the zoo plans secret, which becomes difficult when Mortimer the monkey escapes into the village.

Our Zoo will be screened on September 3, between 9pm and 10pm.