A GROUP of 'bad lads' undergoing 1950s style military training on Salisbury Plain had a break when they enjoyed tea with Wiltshire Women's Institute members.

More than 20 young men did four weeks hard training for an ITV documentary series called Bad Lads Army.

The 30 men involved in the eight week series have gone off the rails, some ending up in prison, and the programme will reignite the debate about whether National Service could sort out the young trouble makers of today.

With just a few days of their training left, the men, aged between 18 and 24, talked to the WI members at Seend WI Hall about their experiences so far.

Series producer Tim Carter thought meeting WI members would be a interesting experience for the lads.

He said: "They come from very different worlds. While the programme is about the physical boot camp it's also about 1950s values such as respect for your elders, tidiness, good manners, politeness and punctuality.

"Taking them to see the WI members was an attempt to measure how far the lads had come.

"It was a huge success. The WI members talked to the lads about their past and the lads talked about their criminal activitity and the experience of doing National Service."

After surviving on a 1950s diet including kippers and Spam, the lads devoured the WI's homemade cakes, sandwiches, scones, sausage rolls and quiche.

Mr Carter said: "They got on like a house on fire and were sorry to leave."

Sue Cowell, WI media officer and one of the WI members who met the lads, said: "A lot of the young men had not seen a homemade cake before and they ate us out of house and home.

"They were wonderful lads and one said he would be telling his mum to join the WI."

Four of the lads gave a presentation to the WI members from Seend, Potterne, Heddington and Stockley and the Wiltshire Federation executive.

Mrs Cowell said: "Some of the men had hated the physical exercise, the food, washing in cold water, the discipline and doing jankers. However, all of them agreed it was the best thing they had ever done and they had learned to respect and look after themselves and to have respect and care for others.

"At the end of the presentation the young men joined with the WI ladies in a rendering of Jerusalem and sat down with us to a full WI tea. The noise level was very high as the young men told their individual stories to the WI members.

"Some of the young men had never sat down to a proper tea with people willing to listen to them and it was a heartwarming experience."

Bad Lads Army is a follow up to the acclaimed Lads Army shown in 2002 and was watched by six million viewers. Corporal Richard Nauyokas, of Hullavington, who was a big hit in the first series, is one of the military personnel putting the men through their paces.

The lads were based in barracks at New Zealand Farm camp to the west of Gore Cross, West Lavington, for four weeks.

The camp was set up as a fully functioning 1950s Army camp.

The daily routine consisted of rising for breakfast at 6.15am followed by parades, inspections, marches, boxing training, camp clean-ups, laundry, hygiene lessons, drill training and weapon training.

Those who fail to make the grade are subjected to punishments they have never experienced before such as cleaning the toilets with a toothbrush and cutting grass with nail scissors.

Mr Carter said: "We are continually told that young men are in crisis. Whether we blame bad parenting or a criminal justice system gone soft many feel that today's lads are out of control.

"We wanted to find out if traditional values and discipline could help sort out the young troublemakers of today."

lBad Lads Army starts on ITV1 on July 8 at 9pm.

Bad boy is transformed

ONE of the 30 trainees is 19-year-old Swindon bad boy Michael Blackham.

Mr Blackham, a labourer, started getting into trouble at the age of 12 when he stole chocolate bars.

He also stole his brother's Christmas money to buy cigarettes and alcohol, organised illegal raves and was cautioned by the police for throwing eggs at his neighbour's house.

Mr Blackham said he applied to take part in the programme to give his life direction.

He said: "I think it will be a good experience and it's going to give me a bit of direction hopefully. It sounds like it will be good fun, a good laugh. I can get a little fitter and hopefully detox for the whole time. I think it will also make me more disciplined.

"It sounds interesting. I've been told by a lot of old people, that it's going to be hard work.

On the concept of National Service Mr Blackham said: "I think it will be a good thing to bring it back in. There's a lot of sh..s going around so I'm sure it would do a lot of them a lot of good."

Mr Blackham undergoes a transformation in the series, became a bit of a leader and started to take responsibility for himself and sorted things out.