A community hall was buzzing the day amateur radio enthusiasts called in to compare wavelengths.

The Radio and Electronics Rally was organised by the Great Lumley Amateur Radio and Electronics Society, which has met in the County Durham village for 26 years.

The rally was open to people interested in everything from basic radios to the most sophisticated computers.

Organiser Nancy Bone said that amateur radio was still holding its own in the world of advanced technology.

It was amateur radio operators who were able to relay vital messages in the aftermath of the Lockerbie plane crash when all other means of communication were knocked out, she said.

Similar systems have also been used in conflicts in remote areas of the world.

She said: "Now we have mobile phone-style sets which can be used all over the world.''

Amateur radio still attracts a large number of followers, but Mrs Bone said that, before anyone could use the system, exams must be passed.

For more information, contact Mrs Bone on 0191-384 2803.