VILLAGERS who survived a wartime bombing raid, thought to have been sanctioned by Hitler himself, will remember those who died in a poignant ceremony this weekend.

Eight people were killed and more than 30 injured when a German bomber dropped its deadly load over Beamish, near Stanley, on Friday, May 1, 1942.

A trio of 1,000lb bombs tore into the village at about 3am. The first exploded on impact in Station Road, damaging a few houses and shops. A second, fitted with a time delay fuse, blew up on a colliery railway embankment at 9am.

Villagers thought they had had a lucky escape. But a third bomb lay undiscovered after plunging through the roof of a house and burying itself in the foundations.

Just after 9pm, it exploded bringing death and destruction.

Among the dead were three children who had been playing on the street - Sylvia Johnson, aged ten, eight-year-old Irene Seymour and Clive Lawson, nine. Clive was the adopted son of MP Jack Lawson, who later became the Labour peer, Lord Lawson of Beamish.

The explosion also claimed the lives of special constables Robert Reay, aged 61, and Samuel Edgell, 63. The other victims were teenager Gwendoline Hannant, Matilda Seymour, aged 77, and Elizabeth Ann Spence, 45.

A commemorative garden and memorial stone has been installed in the village and will be unveiled this weekend, before villagers who survived the devastation, and relatives of those who died. It follows six years of work by local historian Jack Hair and South Moor Local History Group.

Mr Hair said: "Someone once asked me how many people died in the bombing and at that time, I had no idea. I started to delve into the past and then developed it as a project."

The attack by the Luftwaffe was part of the Baedecker Raids ordered by the Nazi High Command in retaliation for the Allied bombing of Lubek and Rostov.

Bombers targeted Exeter, Bath, Norwich and York and had intended to strike in Durham.

The night was clear, but just as the pilots prepared to drop their bombs, a mist suddenly appeared and shrouded the cathedral city. The event became known as the Miracle of Durham.

The bombers flew on to look for other targets. It is believed they may have selected Beamish because of its proximity to two railway lines.

Donations from Durham Police Chief Constable Paul Garvin and Durham County councillors Jim Cordon, David Marshall and Les Vaux made the memorial possible.

The sculpture and garden will be unveiled by North Durham MP Kevan Jones opposite Peggy's Wicket, in Beamish Village, at 2pm, on Saturday. Representatives of the Special Constabulary will attend and Durham police's choir and band will perform.