SHOPPERS were confronted by Queen Elizabeth I and Jefficus the Roman soldier at the Gateshead MetroCentre at the weekend.
The characters made an appearance as part of a campaign by English Heritage aimed at encouraging people to Take Their Heritage Home.
The time-travelling duo joined staff from English Heritage's North-East office, to talk to shoppers about the organisation's work in the region, to preserve, restore and enhance the nation's past.
Young visitors were also able to sample a piece of history by trying their hand at medieval jousting, heraldic face painting, and meeting a medieval scribe.
In addition, a stone mason gave demonstrations of his ancient craft, used to preserve and restore many historic buildings across the region.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article