A historian has given a talk about researching world war military ancestors.

John Sheen offered tips to his audience on tracking the wartime exploits of rank and file troops in an event at Durham's Clayport Library.

Mr Sheen, from Durham, has written two military history books and is now researching locally-based battalions of the Durham Light Infantry.

His talk covered aids to research such as military postal history and, for visitors bringing photographs, he was able to offer more clues.

Mr Sheen was a DLI volunteer in 1968 before enlisting in the regular Army a year later.

He became interested in genealogy, especially relatives who served in the First World War, and his research into his great-grandfather led to the publication of his first book on military history, Tyneside Irish, in 1997, followed by Tyneside Scottish the following year.

His books are available in the local studies section of the library. For details about the local studies section and other talks at the library, call 0191-386 4003.