GLITTERING artwork created from lead miners' 'diamonds' has drawn crowds to a remote museum.

An exhibition of crystal grottos created by Weardale lead miners a century ago has proved a hit at Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, in Weardale.

The spar boxes, made from fluorspar, which to the miners was a waste product, make up the world's biggest collection and has attracted crowds from across the world, including Russia, Canada and America.

Visitor numbers are up 20 per cent this month from last year at the museum, which was shut for several months during the foot-and-mouth crisis, and even more people are expected this Bank Holiday.

The musuem's Ann Darlington said: "Undoubtedly one of the main reasons for such a dramatic rise in visitor numbers is the stunning spar box exhibition.

"It's the world's biggest ever collection of the glittering folk art that shows off the fabulous fluorspar crystals unearthed during lead mining.

"We now have 50 spar boxes on show of all designs and sizes, including the ultimate spar box, the 7ft high, astonishingly ornate box made by Joseph Egglestone."

The exhibition runs until the end of August and the museum, situated 20 minutes from Stanhope, is open seven days a week from 10.30am to 6pm.