TRADERS fighting back after two major fires in their town are joining in the World War One centenary commemorations.

Stores in and around Front Street, Stanley, County Durham, are putting bunting and memorabilia in their windows as the nation’s thoughts turn to the events of 100 years ago.

The former pit town suffered two big fires last year. One in November destroyed a block of shops at the bottom of Front Street after a Chinese takeaway caught fire.

A month later several businesses were devastated by a deliberately-started fire in buildings near the bus station.

Traders’ spokesman Dawn Knight, who had to move her Beautifly beauty salon after the second blaze, filled her window with photographs and artefacts from Beamish Museum.

They relate to Thomas Pascoe, a miner from Beamish who served in the Great War and was killed in 1917.

Letters home from him were donated to the museum by his grand-daughter. He is also featuring in the museum’s own commemorations.

Ms Knight has been a facepainter at Beamish Museum for many years and offered to display material in her window.

She said: “A lot of the traders are putting bunting up and one of the guys round the corner has put his great-grandfather’s medal into a great big poster that goes in the window

“It is nice we are being supported by one of the bigger concerns outside of Stanley town centre.

“It is nice that the traders feel stronger than they ever did after the fire."

She added that the display had been well-received by shoppers.

The town’s Civic Hall, in Front Street, is holding a Lights Out service from 9pm to 11pm tonight (Monday). People will be able to light candles in memory of the conflict’s casualties.