THE Army helped to draw hundreds of people to a visitor attraction not used to dealing with such numbers.

Assistants and volunteers at Seaton Holme, in Easington Village, County Durham, were delighted at the response to their first Army Weekend.

The military exhibits and displays provided entertainment for visitors of all ages.

Seaton Holme exhibition officer Irene Haddick said: "It's been terrific, the weather has been very kind and we've been busy all weekend.

"We've probably had 600 or 700 in, maybe more, but we're not really sure.

"We'd just like to thank the Army for putting on such an excellent event. It's been well worthwhile."

Apart from the interest from potential recruits and younger members of the community, the event attracted a number of former servicemen in the area, who went along for a chat and to reminisce about their days in the forces.

The event involved about 50 Army personnel, made up of reserve and regular soldiers. They displayed items of military hardware and staffed a variety of attractions that appealed to younger visitors.

These included a climbing wall, laser dome, paint balling range and demonstrations in how to communicate using radios.