THE BRITISH Library yesterday said it will not return the treasured Lindisfarne Gospels to their North-East home.

A high-powered campaign to bring the early medieval manuscripts back to the region appears to have failed after the library agreed to a compromise.

Two high quality laser-produced copies, commissioned from a specialist Swiss company by the British Library in London, will be presented to Durham Cathedral and the Heritage Centre on Lindisfarne.

The gospels, hand-written by monks on Lindisfarne in the late-seventh and early-eighth centuries, were removed from the cathedral during the dissolution of the church by Henry VIII in 1537.

Both facsimiles will go on show simultaneously with an exhibition on the origins of the gospels to be held at the British Library from May.

Last night a library spokesman said: "The library has shown every sympathy and willingness, and demonstrated its commitment to collaborate with the region in maximising the gospels' profile as a tribute to the spirituality, energy and inventiveness of the region."

But he said they will remain on permanent display in the Treasures Gallery at the library, and added that the 1972 British Library Act prevented their return North.

As well as the production of the facsimiles, each costing about £13,000, a book on the history of the gospels will be written by Dr Michelle Brown, the curator of illustrated manuscripts at the British Library.

She said: "The Lindisfarne Gospels are on a par with Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa in their importance to the world's heritage.

"It is even more fragile than that famous painting and requires highly sensitive handling and security.

"It is seen by visitors from all over the world and with our new exhibition and facsimiles, we are making the gospels accessible to an even larger number of people."