AN exhibition is being staged to illustrate what life was like during the Second World War, to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

Monkwearmouth Station Museum, in Sunderland, is staging the event to focus on conditions in the area during the war.

The exhibition, called Bombed Out, includes official photographic records of bomb damage in Sunderland.

The 1945 pictures are contrasted with contemporary images of the city.

Martin Routledge, assistant keeper of social history at the museum, said: "People's lives were affected in many ways during the Second World War. Mostly, it was having to deal with loved ones being away from home or dealing with shortages. The war changed people's lives and the face of Wearside forever.''

Sunderland was among the most heavily bombed towns and cities in the United Kingdom, enduring 35 raids in which 267 people, including 28 serving officers of the Civil Defence, were killed.

A further 362 people were seriously injured and 629 were slightly hurt, 1,013 houses were destroyed, 2,700 were badly damaged and an estimated 32,000 damaged in some way.

The exhibition will be on show until the end of August.