A FESTIVAL is aiming to lift the depression in a community badly affected by the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the Friends of Killhope's annual Grand Mineralogical Exhibition, which is usually held at the lead mining centre.

It will be a double celebration, because the Newton Aycliffe and District Bus Preservation Society celebrates being on the road for 21 years.

The two organisations have joined forces with Killhope Lead Mining Museum and the Weardale Museum to make this weekend a time to remember by launching The Weardale Festival.

Exhibitors are expected from all over Britain to display beautiful minerals and crystals, many of them gleaned from the mines of the North Pennines.

The festival will run throughout today and tomorrow simultaneously at Killhope, the Ireshopeburn Institute and the Weardale Museum.

A joint ticket will operate for all three venues, with free transport on vintage buses driven by members of the Bus Preservation Society.

Ian Forbes manager at the Killhope Lead Mining Museum, said: "This promises to be a very special weekend. There will be fabulous crystals on display, as well as the spar boxes that have proved so popular at Killhope this year.

"The bus ride through the wonderful scenery of upper Weardale will be pure nostalgia for many people, and the bus on Sunday will be extra special because it features regularly in the popular Heartbeat series on television."

The festival runs from noon to 5pm today and 10.30am to 4pm tomorrow. Admission to all three venues is £3.50 for adults, £1.70 for children, or a family ticket for two adults and two children costs £8.65