WORK has begun on a warehouse that will save thousands of pieces of the region's industrial heritage.

Construction has started on a £2.8m extension to the Regional Resource Centre at Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham.

It will provide storage space for small to medium-sized items, from bicycles, agricultural tools, furniture, typewriters and textiles.

The environment within the warehouse will be carefully regulated, to ensure its contents are well preserved.

The space will be used by Beamish and Tyne and Wear Museums.

It will also house the records of local history and heritage groups, and will act as an emergency storeroom for artefacts from other museums, libraries and archives.

It will not generally be open to the public, but schools and special interest groups will have access to the artefacts, through a teaching room.

The project has been funded with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which awarded a £2,075,000 grant.

Keith Bartlett, the fund's regional manager, said: "This project is leading the way in offering access to all.

"It is wonderful that the local heritage will be housed and preserved for the people of County Durham and visitors to the region, to learn about and enjoy for generations to come."

Other funding came from the MLA Designation Challenge Fund, Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust, Esme Fairbairn Foundation and North-East Museums.

The Libraries and Archives Council also contributed, as did the Garfield Weston Foundation, Sir James Knott Trust, and Renaissance North East.

Construction company Clugstons, of Washington, Wearside, is building the extension, which should be finished by May.

Published: 22/10/2004