"A beer-drinking bear who saw action in World War II could be in line to be the subject of a Hollywood film. Wojtek - dubbed the "Soldier Bear" - was adopted by Polish troops and helped them carry ammunition at the Battle of Monte Cassino. After the war he lived in Scotland at Hutton in Berwickshire, before ending his days in Edinburgh Zoo. Belfast writer and director Brendan Foley has bought the rights to the bear's "remarkable story". Wojtek - also known as Voytek - was rescued as a cub in the Middle East in 1943. The Polish soldiers adopted him and as he grew he was trained to carry heavy mortar rounds. When their forces were deployed to Europe the only way to take the bear with them was to "enlist" him. So he was given a name, rank and number and took part in the Italian campaign. At the end of the war the bear - who had also learned how to smoke and drink beer - was billeted at an army camp in the Scottish Borders. When the Polish soldiers were demobilised he was taken to Edinburgh Zoo where he eventually died in 1963." BBC News - Wojtek the bear film plan mooted
