THE stories of a County Durham village's unsung heroes of the First World War will be remembered at an exhibition.

For the centenary of the First World War and to commemorate the lives of men from Middleton-in-Teesdale and surrounding communities who served in the war, Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS) will host the exhibition.

From Saturday, June 6 to Sunday, June 12 it will recount the stories of the 32 men honoured on the Horsemarket war memorial and the wartime experiences of many other men from Upper Teesdale.

Captivating tales have been uncovered accompanied with interesting artefacts and memorabilia from the war, such as postcards from the front, trench art and photographs.

Middleton-in-Teesdale, like every community across Great Britain, was profoundly affected by the war.

Men from Upper Teesdale joined to serve their country and many never returned home.

Lucy Jenkins, project officer at UTASS, said: “We are very pleased to be hosting this exhibition commemorating the men from Middleton who served in the First World War and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“It has been fascinating researching their lives and we hope this exhibition will provide visitors with an insight into their wartime experiences."

A story uncovered by the project is that of John Joseph Brunskill, born in 1876, of Hude Top, Middleton-in-Teesdale, who is honoured on the memorial.

In October 1916, he enlisted with the York and Lancaster Regiment and served in France.

He died less than six months later on March 31, 1917 from pneumonia, aged 40 and leaving behind his wife and three children. He is buried in Varennes Military Cemetery, France.

Another tells of quarry worker Alfred Shaw, of Wesley Terrace, who was killed in action in France whilst serving with the 22nd Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in 1918.

A grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund was awarded to Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Council and UTASS in 2014 to commemorate the role of people from Upper Teesdale who played a part in the First World War.

The grant funded the restoration of the War Memorial in the village centre along with creating a series of workshops and the exhibition, which has been organised in conjunction with Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Council, Teesdale Heritage Group and UTASS.

The free exhibition will be open 10am to 5pm daily, at 9-11 Chapel Row, Middleton-in-Teesdale, DL23 0SN.