Peter McAleese speaking about Pablo Escobar in Warrington

Peter McAleese was an ex-SAS mercenary who was part of the team sent to assassinate the Colombian cartel leader.

Peter was sent on the assignment in 1989, following three months of intense training, but his helicopter crashed en route to Escobar's ranch on the other side of the Andes mountain range.

Peter McAleese joined the British Army at the age of 17, in 1960 (Image: Peter McAleese)

St Benedict's Social Club, on Rhodes Street, in Orford will play host to Peter on Friday, October 7, as he recounts his life in the British Army, and as an ex-SAS mercenary.

Ahead of visiting Warrington, Peter said: "We trained for 11 solid weeks, I told the guys that this was not going to be a cakewalk.

"We were used to fighting against higher numbers than ourselves, and we threw ourselves into the training."

Peter said that he was paid around £5,000 per month during the training, and was offered £12,000 upon completion - for the three months' training, plus the completion bonus, in today's money this would be around £65,000.

Peter's career in the military and as a mercenary took him around the world (Image: Peter McAleese)

When his helicopter crashed, Peter said: "We had to stay low going over the Andes because the radar operators on the other side were on Escobar's payroll, so he'd see us coming.

"I could sense something was wrong."

He then explained that when the helicopter crashed, the blades came through the hull, and the pilot was 'badly cut up.'

Peter knew he could not save the pilot, so instead gave him morphine to allow him to pass away in his sleep.

Peter himself received serious injuries to his ribs and lay near the crash site for three days whilst his men searched for help.

He added: "I found myself thinking 'How the **** did I get into this mess?'"

Peter left the military in 1969, when he was 26 years old (Image: Peter McAleese)

When asked if he had any regrets about his life, Peter, now 80, said: "I wouldn't change it - it was terrific.

"I'm content with where I am now, and all my choices led me here."

He did, however, acknowledge that things could have gone better: "I wasn't a good husband and father, I wish I could have been better than I was."

Peter now enjoys a 'fantastic' relationship with his family and remains in contact with his ex-wife.

He turned his back on 'that world' after a number of events, and has also been completely sober for 10 years.

Now 80, Peter says he wouldn't change a thing about his 'terrific' life (Image: Peter McAleese)

Peter McAleese will be at St Benedict's Social Club, Orford, on Friday, October 7 - doors open at 6:30pm.

Tickets cost £15 (which includes pie and peas) - for more information, contact info@showman-events.co.uk.