DIRECTOR Ken Loach was joined by the stars of his latest film for a special preview in Liverpool.

Conspiracy thriller Route Irish was filmed in the city in 2009.

The plot revolves around the death of Frankie, a Liverpool soldier turned security contractor, on the infamous “Route Irish” road between Baghdad airport and the Iraqi capital’s safe Green Zone, and his best friend Fergus’s search for the truth about how he died.

Jordan stood in for Iraq in the movie, which goes on general release next Friday.

But the majority of the film was shot in and around Liverpool, including the Mersey Ferry, Malmaison hotel and in the Georgian quarter.

The 74-year-old director was joined by stars Mark Womack and John Bishop, who play the best friends, as well as other cast members at a preview and question and answer session at Picturehouse at FACT last night.

He said: “I hope people enjoy the mystery, and enjoy unravelling the story of how Frankie dies.

“It has to grip you as a story, and then when you leave, reflect on what we’ve done to the Iraqis, and on the people who began the war and have got off scot free, the rest making millions and the privatisation of war.”