CHILDREN across the region have just a day left to win a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get a close-up view of a history.

Schools are being offered the chance to win a visit to see the Lindisfarne Gospels when they return to Durham for the first time in more than 500 years.

The Northern Echo has teamed up with exhibition organisers to offer 70 schools the chance to be among the first to see the priceless manuscript at the start of the three-month exhibition, which opens on July 1.

Schools across the North-east are being invited to write an illustrated story, of no more than 500 words, telling their own good news.

The deadline for entries to be submitted is on Friday.

Winners will be chosen by a judging panel including representatives of Durham Cathedral, Durham County Council, Durham University, the British Library and The Northern Echo.

Please visit www.lindisfarnegospels.com for full details on how to enter and competition terms and conditions.

Around 14,000 tickets have been snapped up since tickets went on sale on March 20, with an estimated 200,000 visitors expected to visit the Palace Green Library exhibition before it closes at the end of September.