LEGENDARY racehorse trainer Denys Smith has added his wartime memories to a book paying tribute to the women who worked at a North-East munitions factory.

The Northern Echo's community web editor, Andrew Hutton, is researching the history of the Aycliffe Angels and the Aycliffe Royal Ordnance Factory. He is writing a book, which he hopes will be published next year to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

An appeal for information in The Northern Echo has unearthed reams of material.

Among those who got in touch was Mr Smith, from Bishop Auckland, who trained 1968 Grand National winner Red Alligator.

He was 16 years old when his parents' farm, between Heighington and Aycliffe Village, was commissioned for the war effort. It was used as administration space while the munitions factory was being built in 1939.

He remembers the women travelling to the factory from all parts of County Durham.

Mr Hutton has also been contacted by Ruth Vickery, MBE, now aged 95 and living in a residential home in Hurworth, near Darlington.

She was the labour manager, effectively the head of personnel, at the factory for the duration of the war.

She has volunteered a wealth of material, including contemporary notebooks detailing the day-to-day workings of the factory, photographs and other archive material.

Mr Hutton has built an

Aycliffe Angels website which can be visited at www.aycliffeangels.org.uk.

He is appealing for more information and can be contacted on (01325) 505270.