WITHIN the North-East there is a deep and long history, historic buildings, numerous castles and Roman ruins, some of which are steeped in genuine legends and folklore.

There are cities, towns and villages which have produced people both famous and infamous, whose names are known worldwide. There is a wealth of local history to be celebrated even before the North-East's industrial and mining heritage is dealt with.

There should be something to celebrate the North-East's mining heritage, but if a school formerly attended by comedian Stan Laurel - the Laurel Building at Bishop Auckland - were to be renovated into a museum, as has been suggested (HAS, Oct 25), then it shouldn't focus on one particular aspect of North-Eastern history with everything else becoming secondary.

Rather, it should reflect all aspects of the area's culture, its history, folklore, etc, equally.

This will not diminish the North-East's mining heritage, but place it within the context of other parts of our cultural heritage, within a museum which covers an area of culture which many museums have ignored.

CT Riley, Spennymoor, Co Durham