ONE of the country's finest collections of armoury is back on view following a major refurbishment.

The display, at Preston Hall Museum, near Eaglescliffe, includes pikes, muskets, rifles, rapiers, cutlasses, carved powder horns, war hammers, maces and horse armour.

Funded through Museums, Libraries and Archives and Renaissance in the Regions, it also features weapons collected by local man Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert Ormerod Spence.

The new gallery space also has a sculpture, called Beyond the Sword. It was made by young Stockton residents, working with artist-blacksmith Adrian Wood and creative writer Maureen Almond Wood, as part of a Heritage Lottery Fund project.

Julian Herbert, collections manager at Preston Hall, said: "The whole display technique has changed to make it more accessible for the public."

To mark the re-launch, there will be a day of activities at the museum on Sunday, with re-enactments by a group of Royal Marines from the Napoleonic era and medieval group Rosa Mundi.

Mr Herbert said: "We are looking forward to a good day on Sunday. As well as marking the re-opening, it is a way of saying thank you to the designers, museum staff and youth groups who have helped with the refurbishment."

Councillor Mary Womphrey, Stockton Borough Council's cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, said: "This is a truly impressive exhibition, and all the more interesting as the exhibits have been collected by a local person. Preston Hall Museum has always offered a wide range of displays, and this latest re-opening of the armoury display will no doubt be a real hit with visitors."