ALMOST 60 years after he left his village school, an amateur historian has preserved the building for posterity by creating a miniature model in wood and card.

Pensioner Bill Colley, from Byers Green, near Spennymoor, has been making replicas of landmark industrial buildings in his community since 1979.

His latest creation, a 3ft by 2ft 8in replica of Byers Green Primary School as it was when he attended during the Second World War, will be added to a growing collection of his work which is held in the archives at County Hall, Durham.

After Mr Colley, 70, showed the model to pupils he answered questions about his schooldays.

Mr Colley left Byers Green school at 14, soon after the war ended, and went to work as a fitter.

He said: "The school was built in 1914 to replace two National schools and the building is largely the same.

"I have built it as it was, with outside toilets to show children what it was like in the beginning.

"I have very happy memories of the school. It did everything it could to prepare us for a future, but it is a shame we did not have the opportunities there are today."

Mr Colley's previous works include models of Todhills brickworks circa 1937, Byers Green Colliery and astronomer Thomas Wright's lodge.