Former far right sympathiser tells how Prevent programme helped him leave his extreme views behind
Video report by ITV News Security Editor Rohit Kachroo
Ryan Wildman used to believe he was preparing for a "race war", but turned his life around after he was put on the government's controversial Prevent programme.
In what is the first-ever interview with a far right activist on the government programme, Ryan told ITV News how he had left his extreme views behind.
Before he was enrolled on Prevent, Ryan was involved with far right groups.
He adopted the groups' extreme views and had even experimented with making rudimentary explosives with parts he ordered online.
But he says it was thanks to his mentor on the programme, Nick Daines, that he was able to move on.
The so-called Prevent strategy is intended to stop mainly young people from becoming radicalised.
Introduced back in 2003, the vast majority of those one the programme are thought to be suspected Islamist extremists.
New figures soon to be released will show a sizable increase in the programme's use - for both Islamists and far right extremists.
Mr Daines, Ryan's mentor, told ITV News the Prevent programme was not about "reprogramming" people, but about encouraging "positive choices".
Nonetheless, the programme remains controversial.
Critics say Prevent stigmatises certain communities and too often fails to live up to its name.