THE past has come to life in Thirsk with the publication of a book chronicling 100 years of its history.

Around Thirsk: A Second Selection tells the story of the market town from the 1870s to the 1970s through the use of old photographs.

The secretary of Thirsk Museum, Cooper Harding spent a year compiling and researching the book, which features more than 200 pictures of the area.

The book is a sequel to an earlier book, also put together by Mr Harding, which was published eight years ago and is now on its third printing.

Many of the photographs have come from the museum's own archives but others have been loaned by private collectors and various societies.

It features the town itself, trade and commerce, the First and Second World Wars, family life, sport and other public events as well as scenes of life in local villages.

Also featured are some unusual photographs taken from lantern slides that were found in the attic of the local vicarage a couple of years ago, including one showing the inauguration of the Market Clock in 1896.

New technology has also been used to 'freshen up' some of those pictures that had been suffering from the ravages of time.

The book has been issued by Sutton Publishing as part of their Britain in Old Photographs series and is available for £11.99 from White Rose Books and Hambleton Books in Thirsk as well as elsewhere.