THE first local project in a scheme to put the region's history on the worldwide web is under way.

Tomorrow's History is a project coordinated by the North-East Museums, Archives and Libraries Council (Nemlac) to celebrate the richness of the region's history and heritage and put it online for the world to see.

Altogether, 100 projects from across the North-East will be supported with cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and 22 of these will be on Teesside.

Projects on Teesside involve local history groups, community groups, youth clubs, schools, the Workers Educational Association and the community studies unit at Middlesbrough Football Club.

The groups are drawing on the historical material found in libraries, museums, archive collections and oral reminiscences to put together a range of projects.

The first project to get clearance from Nemlac is a look at the lives of the men who are commemorated on the First World War memorial, at St Cuthbert's Church, near Ormesby Hall, Middlesbrough.

The information researched will form an exhibition at the church, possibly during the weekend of Remembrance Sunday. Details will also be posted on the Tomorrow's History website.

Francine Marshall, community project leader for Tomorrow's History, is based at Middlesbrough Central Library and has spent the past few months helping community groups to put their ideas together before their project is considered by Nemlac.

"Tomorrow's History aims to connect local people with their history and heritage - and then present their research to a worldwide audience," she said.