A huge pioneering project is going ahead to bring the sensational creation of Rutland Water back to life - 50 years after the starting gun was fired on England's mightiest reservoir.

The groundbreaking journey of exploration charting and mapping the giant man-made lake is being carried out by not for profit media production company Rutland Community Ventures.

Directors Tony Gray and Ben Searle have already interviewed more than 30 people as they strive to tell the story of how iconic Rutland Water was brilliantly engineered out of more than 3000 acres of prime East Midlands countryside.

Tony, 71, of Uppingham, said: "This is living history at its absolute best.

"We are nothing without our memories - and the same goes for all our local communities.

"Rutland Water is one of the most amazing schemes to have ever been carried out in this country.

"We want to talk to people who were there from the start and record their memories before it's too late."

The fired-up dad-of-two said they were making an action-packed 60-minute film about the dramatic if controversial birth of Rutland Water as well as compiling a comprehensive digital archive giving a unique insight into the sprawling phenomenon.

"We are devoting and dedicating many months of time, effort and research to documenting the reservoir and we're both sure it will be worth every minute.

"The Act of Parliament giving the go-ahead to Rutland Water was passed back in 1968," said Tony.

"So we decided that the 50th anniversary of this momentous event was the ideal time to launch our adventure.

"We've been awarded about £10,000 by the Lottery Heritage Fund and the project will take us about 12 months and we're due to complete it next April.

"The whole thing has just snowballed over the last few months - and we're will turn out to be a genuine goldmine.

"People started coming to us straight away and the public reaction has been fantastic.

"It's fascinating to talk to people - some of them now in their 80s and 90s - who were there all those years ago as Rutland Water was born and grew up."

The veteran media, music and arts entrepreneur is now looking forward to quizzing schoolgirl warrior Jane Merritt.

She was just 17 when she launched a campaign and petition forcing Anglian Water to change the name of their jewel in the crown from Empingham Reservoir to Rutland Reservoir.

"Jane was determined that the blueprint should reflect on Rutland as a whole and it's worked brilliantly.

"She was inspired to go into politics and became the mayor of Winchester last year," said Tony.

"Thank goodness she succeeded because tourists and birdwatchers now flock to Rutland Water from all over the world generating a stunning £128 million a year."

The world-famous nature reserve managed by Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust provides one of the UK's most crucial wildfowl sanctuaries, regularly hosting over 25,000 waterfowl.

But lifelong film-maker Tony insisted it was not all sweetness and light as Rutland County Council, outraged farmers and shocked wildlife supports spearheaded a powerful crusade to sink the mind-blowing brainwave before a drop of water was poured into it.

When the dam was built it submerged the villages of Middle and Nether Hambleton at the eastern end of the Gwash valley near Stamford.

"There were losers as well as winners - it really was a game of snakes and ladders with some climbing up and some sliding down.

"Farmers were particularly affected - and about 29 houses and farms disappeared," said Tony.

"Some farmers were so devastated by losing land in their families for generations that they are still too upset to talk about it today half a century on.

"So we have had to tread very carefully.

"There was a human price to pay for Rutland Water and locals fought tooth and nail to stop it.

"Feelings ran very high and campaigners used the slogans 'Don't dam Rutland' and 'Don't drown Rutland'.

"There was a lot of opposition for about 18 months but the reservoir was an unstoppable juggernaut and nobody was going to halt it."

Rutland Water Factfile:

l It's the biggest reservoir in the country by surface area

l It holds an incredible 124 million cubic metres of water

l It was officially opened in 1976 - but wasn't totally filled until 1978

l It covers a staggering 3100 acres of top Rutland countryside

l Anglian Water removes 220 million litres a day from the reservoir to serve a million homes.

l That's equal to 100 Olympic size swimming pools

l There are about 27 miles of track around the perimeter

l The world-famous nature reserve and wildfowl sanctuary regularly hosts more than 25,000 waterfowl.

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