A LEADING visitor attraction will celebrate the region’s steam heritage during the half-term holiday.

Beamish Museum, the open air museum near Stanley, County Durham, is marking the bicentenary of locomotives made by William Hedley at Wylam.

From Saturday (October 26) to Sunday November 3, special activities will include a noon steaming of a replica of Puffing Billy at noon each day.

A museujm spokesman said: “This week-long celebration marks the end of a year of community activities, in which Beamish has worked with community groups and schools from Wylam to Lemington, along the line where the original Puffing Billy ran, to celebrate their railway heritage.

“Beamish has been involved in a range of events during the project. The Museum worked with schools, community groups, care homes and day centres between Wylam and Lemington, taking the replica Puffing Billy engine back to its roots to visit them.

“The Puffing Billy activities have been supported by the Hedley Foundation and are part of the Celebrating Community Heritage project which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund."

The museum is open from 10am to 5pm daily. For details and tickets visit www.beamish.org.uk or call 0191-370-4000.