A TEENAGE prisoner of war and a local boy play together in the street only yards away from the camp where the young PoW is held captive.

It is a scene that reflects the warmth prisoners of Harperley PoW Camp, near Wolsingham, County Durham, and Weardale families felt for each other during the Second World War.

Despite the circumstances that brought them together, the low-risk Italian and German men and locals formed a close bond and many chose to settle in England after the war.

Now, that affection has been captured in the form of two period models, which will greet visitors to the site, a scheduled monument, which opens as a tourist attraction on Monday.

Visitors can enjoy the first stage of owners James and Lisa McLeod's plans to restore the camp and create a wartime museum from Monday, ahead of an Easter weekend opening.

Mrs McLeod's son, Michael Simpson, 19, modelled for the young prisoner and family friend Joseph Williamson, eight, of Hamsterley, took the part of a local boy.

Mrs McLeod said: "Hopefully, the scene with the models reflects the warmth of the camp and that it was not cold as people might expect.

"People took the prisoners into their hearts and their time here was made as pleasant and homely as possible."

A farm shop, 1940s tearoom and restaurant, garden centre and touring caravan park will open on Monday, from 9am to 5pm.

Over next weekend, there will be a vintage tractor display on Friday, food and drink sampling in the farm shop on Saturday, a Second World War military vehicle display on Sunday and a family fun day on Monday.

Published: 03/04/2004