THE SAS solider who wrote the book which inspired the new Netflix film about the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege said a trip to Hereford was part of the script writer's research.

Rusty Firmin was the SAS Blue Team backdoor Assault Team Leader in the operation to free hostages from the Iranian embassy in London after a six-day stand-off.

His book about the siege, Go!Go!Go! inspired a New Zealand film company to make a film about the dramatic rescue, which will be released on Netflix tomorrow (November 3).

Mr Firmin said it first started in 2014 when the producer first got in touch and soon after the script writer, Glenn Standring, came to Hereford for five days.

He said: "I showed him everything. Where we used to train, where the old camp was, the Killing House, St Martin's Church - I took him around there and the guys buried there.

"I introduced him to a few of the guys on the siege and he interviewed them.

"He went back to New Zealand after those five days and he wrote a script."

Mr Firmin said he doesn't know how to write a script or make a film so he had little input from there onwards.

But he said: "I was happy there was no running away with anything. To be true to their word they have done a really good job with it."

The film tells the story from three perspectives: Mr Firmin's view as SAS leader, played by Jamie Bell: negotiator Max Vernon (played by Mark Strong) who is trying to avoid military action, and BBC news reporter Kate Adie (played by Abbie Cornish).

Mr Firmin was pleased with the casting of Jamie Bell, and he was also pleased with the casting of Colin Garlick who portrayed his good friend and colleague, John McAleese, who was charged with blowing the windows out during the storming of the building.

The film shows the friendship between Mr Firmin and Mr McAleese, who died in 2011 from a heart attack.

Mr Firmin, who now lives in Devon, said: "It showed in a tense situation how we still muck about. People who know me will say that."

The 67-year-old said the siege changed everything for the SAS.

He said: "In those days you could walk through the SAS camp from one side to the other as a civilian to catch a bus. Everything changed once the siege was done. The new camp was built. It was secured."

Mr Firmin was due to play in a cup final for Westfields Football Club on the day of the Iranian siege, but called the manager, Andy Morris to say he couldn't play.

Mr Morris said he tried to persuade Mr Firmin to change his mind and even offered to ring his boss.

Mr Morris said: "I was persistent. Rusty said, 'Listen, all I can say to you is watch the six o'clock news tomorrow night.'"

Westfields travelled up to Kidderminster to play the match against Brewood, with Mr Morris' brother, Clive stepping in and Chris Booton playing up front.

Mr Morris added: "We got to Kidderminster early and watched the six o'clock news on the TV at the social club. Sure enough, we saw three guys going through the embassy windows and we said, 'One of those must be Rusty.'"

Westfields ended up winning the game 1-0, with Clive scoring the winning goal.