IN the battle between man and machine, an eight-ton steamroller proved more than a match for the brawn of museum staff.

Workers at Beamish Museum, took on Fiddler, a 1920 Fowler steamroller in an unusual tug-of-war contest.

The museum, near Stanley, County Durham, today starts its four-day Power from the Past event featuring the machines of yesteryear.

Visitors will have the chance to take part in tugof- wars with steamrollers and yesterday, a team of seven men and two women, all in period costume, pitted their strength against Fiddler – and lost.

“When it was out of gear the staff were able to move it but when it was put in gear they didn’t stand a chance,’’ said a museum spokeswoman.

As well as the tug-ofwar sessions on Saturday and Sunday, there will be a model railway that children can ride on, a chance for over-18s to drive a 1933 diesel electric railway engine, and today and tomorrow there will be rides on a horse tram from Manchester.

For further information call 0191-370-4000 or visit beamish.org.uk