VISITORS and residents in County Durham will have the chance to discover the region’s hidden historical treasures in an annual heritage event.

Durham County Council has will be participating in the national Heritage Open Days programme this year, until Sunday, September 20.

All events this year have been organised in line with local and national government guidelines to ensure visitors can still discover the county’s hidden stories while staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, visitors are reminded to check with government guidelines, and on the Heritage Open Days website, for any changes in event information.

In Durham City, Allington House will be open for tours Friday, September 18 from 10am to 1pm. With a maximum of six people per tour.

Durham Cathedral will be publishing videos and blog content on Facebook. As well as hosting a daily livestreams on Facebook until Sunday, September 20, at 3pm to talk about the cathedral’s dynamic history and heritage.

Self-guided tours will be available at Durham Market Hall. Tours will be at 11am until Saturday, September 19. For more information, contact Alice Wilkes on 0191-3846153.

Durham Town Hall will be open to public visits from 10am to 3pm throughout the Heritage Open Days.

The Town Hall will host a free exhibition, by local artist Denis Fox, on Sunday September 13. This new series of oil paintings depicts the events of 'Black Thursday', when the German Luftwaffe attacked the North East.

One of a number of activities associated with the Stockton and Darlington Railway, will be a history walk around Shildon on Sunday, September 20. The walk will trace the route from Brusselton Accommodation Bridge to Locomotion. Booking is essential for more information call Jane Hackworth-Young on 01833-627712 or John Raw on 01388-663764.

For visitors to Hardwick Park, in Sedgefield, the Love Exploring app can be downloaded for a brand-new heritage audio tour.

Bishop Auckland's history is also being celebrated, with a new virtual guided tour which has been created by architectural investigators at Historic England as part of their research in support of the Heritage Action Zone. To follow the story map, visit historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/bishop-auckland

For the full list of activities and events, visit durham.gov.uk/heritageopendays