AN exhibition celebrating the birth of British democracy goes on show in the North-East today - the first time the rare collection has been seen by the general public.

The collection, which includes Britain's first ballot box, has been housed behind closed doors in The Reform Club - a private club in Pall Mall, London.

However, the memorabilia has now been loaned to Grey College, part of Durham University, to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the 1832 Great Reform Act, which extended democratic rights in this country.

The Act was introduced by Northumberland-born Prime Minister Earl Grey, who in the same year passed the Act of Parliament which allowed for the establishment of Durham University, which is now home to the college which bears his name.

The exhibition - Reform, Reform, Reform - includes newspaper reports, leaflets and cartoons from the time, along with a number of unusual exhibits.

They include the Voice Of The People canon, fired in Mansfield to celebrate the passage of the Act; a ledger detailing £90,000 bribes paid in a failed attempt to secure the county seat of Yorkshire, including tickets to the races for voters; and the ballot box used in the Pontefract by-election, shortly after the introduction of secret ballots in 1872.

Among the items is a picture of rioting in Bristol, a city where 400 people died in a disturbance demanding the vote in 1831, yet less than 60 per cent of the population bothered to exercise their democratic right at the last General Election.

Henry Dyson, of Grey College, said: "If you look at the history of how working people got the vote, it was a tremendous struggle. Ppeople fought for it and died for it.These things were hard won - and we should all be very grateful to Earl Grey and exercise the right to vote."

Describing the exhibition as a coup for the region, Mr Dyson added: "It is very good for the North-East because although there is the monument in Newcastle, it is important for subsequent generations to remember what Earl Grey was about."

The exhibition runs until Saturday, March 31, at the South Road campus in Durham, but weekday visits are by appointment only.

For further details or to organise a visit, contact Jan Pearson, at Grey College, on 0191-334-5557.

A public discussion about democracy and parliamentary reform to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the 1832 Reform Act and the founding of Durham University is to take place tomorrow, at Grey College.

There will be six speakers, made up of academics and politicians, including Alan Beith MP and Kevan Jones MP. The event runs from 5.30pm until 7.45pm and free tickets are available from Joyce Dover, on 0191-334-5565.