WITH just months to go until the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, a history group is appealing for memories and memorabilia to use in a right royal exhibition.

Sedgefield Local History Society will stage the exhibition at Ceddesfeld Hall on Sunday, June 2, - 60 years to the day since Elizabeth II was crowned queen at Westminster Abbey in London.

The group is keen to showcase how people in the town celebrated the event and is appealing to residents past and present to loan memorabilia and share stories from the big day.

Original programmes, orders of service, china tea cups, tea spoons, stationary, Girl Guide badges, commemorative coins and special edition bibles are just some of the artefacts collected so far.

Other residents have sent old photographs or simply called to describe their experience on the day.

Haydn Neal, 68, of Sedgefield Local History Society, was nine when the coronation took place.

“I lived in Stockton at the time and a special sports day had been organised,” he said. “I remember it poured with rain and we all took shelter under the marquee and ate sandwiches. I was pleased I did not have to compete!”

The exhibition will coincide with Sedgefield Day – a new festival that will see a host of family activities taking place across the town.

Anyone who would like to lend memorabilia to the history society should contact Hayden or Normal Neal on 01740-6200091.