FAMILIES will get the chance to go behind the scenes in archive strongrooms later this month.

Durham County Record Office, at County Hall, Durham, is throwing open its strongroom doors on Friday, May 29, for families to see where local historical documents are kept.

Tours will be held between 9.30am and 12.30pm, as part of the free Durham County Council Archives for Families event.

Visitors can learn about family history, how to use church registers to trace a family tree, write with quill pens and ink and make seals similar to those found on medieval documents.

There will also be a chance to listen to oral history records made by soldiers who served with the Durham Light Infantry, describing their wartime experiences.

The activities are suitable for children aged over five, but all children should be supervised by an adult. Booking is not necessary.