THE key role people of the British countryside played during the Second World War is being recreated at a North-East visitor attraction.

Dig for Victory is the first event in Beamish Museum’s 2017 Great North Festival of Agriculture, which begins today and runs until Sunday.

Set in and around The 1940s Farm, it tells the story of life on the Home Front and the vital support role of rural areas.

People can meet Land Girls to Lumberjills with 1940s beauty tips and hands-on activities for everyone to try.

Paul Foster, historic events officer at Beamish, said: “We’re really looking forward to Dig for Victory.

“This is an opportunity for us to give a taster of life on the Home Front, to show what a difference ordinary folk could make and just how much they could support the war effort in their own back gardens.”

Visitors can take part in Home Guard drills, meet soldiers and farm workers and have a photograph taken in The Farm office to attach to their ‘official’ ID card.

Around the farmstead there are 1940s vehicles and agricultural machinery, a blacksmith hard at work in the forge and the chance to find out about ferret rearing.

Visitors can join the Jam Drive, sample wartime cooking or master the art of ‘make do and mend’.

A small army encampment will set up near The Farm with equipment, tents and soldiers to chat to.

There will also be period entertainment with foot-tapping wartime tunes from Bright Street Big Band and Backstep Boogie Club.