YOUNG people are doing their bit to preserve and restore the region’s natural, industrial and cultural heritage.

Bricklaying and catering students have been working on The Land of Oak and Iron, a restoration project in the Derwent Valley.

Young brickies spent three days at Beamish Museum, learning the art of dry-stone walling, an ancient craft used to build heritage trails and other rural landscape structures.

Catering students, also from Gateshead College, tried their hand at making cinder toffees, coconut delights and other tasty treats, a traditional pastime and thriving industry in the early 1900s.

The project aims to rekindle local passion for the area by encouraging community involvement in activities so that people can share experiences and learn new skills.

The project’s partnership manager Karen Daglish said: “Community engagement is a major focus of this project and allows us to provide educational opportunities for people of all ages.

“They can showcase their talent, learn new skills and share in a project that is helping to make a positive difference to so many people’s lives.”