In 2006, breeze blocks were supposed to replace bullets and bombs to lay new foundations for democracy, little more than a thousand British troops arrived to defend an area half the size of England. It's a measure of the challenge they faced that today 30,000 Nato troops do the same job.

Mark Urban tells the inside story of Britain's fight for Helmand Province, told with unique access to the Politicians,commanding officers, and frontline troops who were there.