TWO sisters have made an emotional return to the hotel where they spent the war years.

Mary McKenna and Kath Campbell left Leadgate, near Consett in 1940, to find work, aged 17 and 15. They spent the next five years at the Eversfield Hotel in Swan Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

The pair travelled back to stay there this week, in what is now the £100-a-night Ruskin Hotel.

Speaking before they left, Mrs Campbell, 78, of Blackhill, Consett, said: "This time we will be VIPs, not cleaning drains or shovelling coke.

"We can remember exactly what it looked like and are looking forward to seeing how it has changed."

The Eversfield was owned by Vicky Freid, a Jewish refugee from Austria.

In between setting them tasks, from cleaning the drains to serving dinner, she taught the girls folk songs from her homeland.

Mrs McKenna, 80, also of Blackhill, said: "She used to call us her children.

"We looked after her when she was poorly, and she left us £500 each when she died."

The family presented the sisters with tickets and the hotel booking as a gift at Mrs McKenna's 80th birthday party, held recently in Consett and District Golf Club.

The trip has been paid for by Mrs McKenna's daughters, Kath Walton and Anne Dick, and sons Vin, Paul and John.

The day also held one more surprise for the sisters - a recording of their favourite Austrian folk song, that Mrs Freid had taught them as girls.

Mrs McKenna's granddaughter, Nicola McDonald found it by chance after the family had given up all hope.

"The whole family knows the song, because they sing it to us," said Mrs Walton. "But we couldn't find it anywhere."

Nicola said: "My mam had looked for hours and hours, everywhere we could think of.

"On the way to town one day I was singing it at the bus stop to a family friend, who told me they had it at home.

"I took it straight round to my mam's and we sat there laughing and crying at the same time, tears rolling down our cheeks. We were so pleased to have found it."

Nicola added: "She has only had it a couple of days and has played it so often that the tape snapped. We are going to have to get her a new one."