ARCHITECTS were told to bring a "sense of theatre" to the Durham Light Infantry Museum when charged with coming up with a £900,000 redesign.

When the Regimental Flag of the DLI was raised by cadets at the official opening of the museum at the weekend you sensed they had got it right.

It was the great 240-year-old history of the county's regiment that was stressed during the ceremony, which was attended by representatives of all the bodies who contributed to the costs of the refurbishment.

But the event also marked the official opening of the adjoining Durham Art Gallery which is currently featuring the work of artist Peter Rush.

Former MP for Easington Lord Dormand officially opened the building and Durham County Council's director of arts, libraries and museums, Patrick Conway, stressed that visitors had the chance to go to a first class museum and art gallery at the same time.

He said: "We hope the DLI museum will appeal to families and people of all ages as they discover, learn and imagine the proud history of the county's regiment and the creative world of the arts."

The museum is managed by the county council, but the trustees own the treasures on display. The refurbishment was paid for by the council, regimental trustees, charitable trusts, funding bodies from the military and national museums.