THE much-loved illustrator Liz Pichon, best known for her Tom Gates series, visited a North-East tourist attraction at the weekend to teach a group of 30 enthusiastic children how to illustrate.

The workshop at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, in Northumberland, formed part of the English Heritage’s travelling tapestry national tour celebrating the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.

The eight metre-long tapestry will be on display in the Great Hall, at Belsay Hall, until Monday, September 5.

This modern day Bayeux Tapestry features the most important historic moments since 1066 as voted for by children across the country.

The Kids’ Tapestry was created by Ms Pichon in her signature Tom Gates style and includes the crowning of William the Conqueror in 1066, the birth of William Shakespeare and the end of the Second World War.

Children across England are being invited to complete the final panel in a nationwide competition; the invention of the World Wide Web.

The artwork was unveiled on August 1 at the site of the Battle of Hastings - the event that inspired the Bayeux Tapestry - to mark the 950th anniversary of the most famous and arguably most important battle in English history.

Lynn Rylance English Heritage’s area manager for the North-East, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Kids’ Tapestry to Belsay to help with English Heritage’s 950th anniversary celebrations at the Battle of Hastings.Over the Bank Holiday weekend we had the Knights’ Tournament, the tapestry arrived and the workshop with Liz so it was an action-packed programme.”

Ms Pichon added: “The Kids’ Tapestry is the perfect way of engaging kids with history - not only did they get to choose the moments but they will be able to complete the story.”