COMEDIAN Al Murray and his dad will launch a series of new film nights for the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum later this month.

Mr Murray has a keen interest in military history and his father Ingram is a long-standing volunteer at the Woodstock museum.

The 'Pub Landlord' was first on the list to launch the new monthly film night after the venue was granted a new licence by West Oxfordshire District Council.

At 6.45pm on Wednesday, May 25, the museum in Park Street will host the talk by the Murrays on the Battle of Arnhem.

There will also be a screening of the classic war movie Theirs is the Glory, based on events in the 1944 Second World War campaign in Holland.

Visitor services assistant Louisa Fagan said: "Ingram has been a volunteer with us for a long time and when I mentioned the idea of a monthly film night he came up with this idea.

"He first introduced Al to the film which will be shown on the night.

"It should be a very interesting evening and we are hoping Arnhem veterans from Oxfordshire will be there too."

In 2014, Mr Murray wrote the book, Watching War Films with My Dad, in which he revealed where his fascination with history and war began.

His father, retired Lt Col Murray, served in the Parachute Squadron of the Royal Engineers and in March last year the pair gave a talk to Oxford University's Officer Training Corps at Falklands House in Oxford before Al performed at the new theatre.

The film night will be the first new event the museum can stage after it was granted the new licence earlier this month allowing staff to serve alcohol and stage plays, films and music.

Museum director Ursula Corcoran said the premises licence would allow museum staff to sell drinks at special events like the film shows and was granted despite an objection from Woodstock town council.

She said: "The town council was taking a responsible approach on behalf of residents but I don't think the residents will have anything to worry about."

The new licence means alcohol can be sold at the museum from 10am until 11pm on weekdays and until midnight at weekends.

The museum displays artefacts from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars.

It was built following years of fundraising by the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust.

Princess Anne opened the £3.2m military museum in the grounds of the Oxfordshire Museum in Park Street, in 2014.

Tickets for the Al and Ingram Murray event cost £28.

For further information visit sofo.org,uk