A PROJECT set up to learn about the mining history of a Teesdale village has been completed.

To celebrate the success of the Evenwood Drama and Arts Project Group, members have created their version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

The group researched and explored the village's history and heritage and held a series of events to showcase their findings.

The project was funded with a £13,563 grant from the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) and £2,070 from the Teesdale Arts Fund.

Through the grants, the group was able to hold an open day, which attracted more than 1,000 people, who were able to view information from the Beamish archive office.

Jackie Dodds, project co-ordinator, said: "We wanted to learn more about our history and involve people of all ages in a project which would enable us to find out how the people of Evenwood spoke, what they wore and ate, what they were taught at school and most importantly how they interacted as a community."

Other events have included an exhibition of hundreds of old photographs of the village and letters from past residents from the early 19th Century. There was also a Victorian food festival and a series of language and dialect workshops.

The group producing A Christmas Carol has worked with artist and writer Joan Crawford and written the script using local dialect and phrases.

Volunteers worked in small groups to draft scenes before Ms Crawford edited each section to complete the finished play.

The production has a cast of 20, with children from Evenwood and Ramshaw schools, and pensioner Hilda Cliff in the lead role as Scrooge.

Lesley Millgate, LHI adviser for the North-East, said: "We were pleased to support Jackie and the community at Evenwood, as it seemed such an interactive way of exploring heritage and history.

"I've no doubt that the play will be a great success and the perfect way to round off this exciting project."

The celebrations begin at Evenwood Workingmen's Club at 6.15pm with a performance by Middleton-in-Teesdale Band. A Christmas Carol starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at the door and cost £1. Proceeds go towards the village's Christmas lights.