THE enduring mystery of who put Bella in the wych elm' is to be brought to life next month in a powerful new play by a Stourbridge playwright.

Retired Dudley Collerge drama lecturer Dave Morris has penned a thought-provoking and disturbing play based on the true story of the body found in the hollow of a wych elm in Hagley Wood during WWII in April 1943.

More than 60 years after the gruesome finding, the real identity of Bella' has never been established despite extensive police enquiries - but one enduring theory is that she was a Nazi agent.

This theory forms the basis of Dave's dark play, which portrays the tensions and suspicions of wartime life in the area - and delves into the kind of life such a character might have led, having been parachuted into Britain when the country feared a German invasion.

Dave, aged 67, of Heathfield Gardens, who previously penned a play about Stourbridge war hero Frank Foley for the company, said: "What I'd hoped to do with this play is portray the strangeness of the character and the horror and fear that ordinary people were experiencing.

"It isn't a Dad's Army portrayal of wartime England.

"It's a strange sort of case, where the most bizarre theory is perhaps the most plausible. The Germans had quite an interest in this area. People were expecting the Government to move out of London to the Midlands and there was a lot of undercover work going on in this area."

The play, Bella In The Wychelm, is set to be premiered at Stourbridge Town Hall in March, running from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 25, starting at 7.30pm.

Seasoned Stourbridge performer Rosie Jennings will be playing the title role - although Dave has stressed the character still essentially remains an enigma.

He said: "The character is never really full explained.

"It's about her life in England and the people she meets - set against a backdrop of insecurity and fear of invasion."

Tickets, priced £6.50 to £8, are available from Books Unlimited, Lower High Street, Stourbridge, or Dudley Council Plus in Dudley on 01384 812812.