PEOPLE from all over the world are logging on to a town's website in order to keep in touch with their roots.

Since the Shildon Net Forum was relaunched in February, more than 1,100 people have visited the site to share memories of their time living in the former railway town.

People from as far away as China, Mexico and New Zealand have been logging on to the forum, which is run by volunteers.

Colin Devonport, who runs Shildon Net as a business, set up the forum last year, but abandoned it after people were leaving nuisance messages on the site.

He said: "I was asked to set it up again, and with the help of Ken Bibby, who used to live in Shildon, we started it again in February.

"People have to register as members before leaving messages on the forum, which means we can monitor it more closely, and it has gone from strength to strength.

"This is a purely voluntary site and it is up and running because people asked for it.''

Visitors to the site are invited to comment on every-day topics, as well as events specifically for Shildon, such as the opening of Locomotion, the town's £10m railway museum.

Mr Devonport said that he would love to see more people placing photographs of Shildon's past and their memories on the site.

Shildon Net also offers free services to voluntary and community groups who may want to set up their own websites.

Mr Devonport said: "We offer free design services and certain free services to non-profit organisations. We do not receive money or grants to do this.

"The money we get from business clients helps us fund the free services to charitable organisations.''

For more information about the services on offer contact www.shildon.net.