THOUSANDS of visitors are clamouring to view the replica version of the Lindisfarne Gospels at Durham Cathedral.

The long-awaited arrival of an accurate facsimile of the early Medieval manuscript was celebrated at the cathedral on Friday, when the jewel-encrusted copy was handed over by the British Library.

Despite being considered in some circles as a compromise to the return of the original Seventh Century book, the copy was greeted at the handover as if it were the original.

Following Friday's service, the replica was displayed in the cathedral Chapter House.

Cathedral chapter steward Anne Heywood said: "It has been very successful. At the peak on Saturday afternoon, there were more than 800 people an hour coming in, equivalent to our busiest Saturday in summer.

"We had them on show in the Chapter House with a frequent talk outlining their background and it was very hectic.

"You could never do that with the originals, regardless of where they were."

An estimated 7,400 people visited during the weekend, and the replica has been moved to a display within the cathedral treasury.

The original gospels were brought to Durham by monks carrying St Cuthbert's remains in 995AD.

Some time after Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in the 1530s, they were removed and remained in private hands, until they became part of the The British Library collection, in London, in 1973.

Anyone who would like to look at the copy is asked to call 0191-386 4266.