COUNTY Durham youngsters will be given the chance to travel back in time to when the world was engulfed in war.

Primary pupils will visit the DLI, formerly the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery, next week, to learn about the Second World War.

During the half-day project, called From Aycliffe to Italy: County Durham Goes To War, they will meet characters played by the Time Travellers Theatre Company.

The project will examine the effects of the war on County Durham and foreign countries, and will feature a woman worker at the Aycliffe munitions factory, and a Durham Light Infantry soldier fighting in Italy.

The project has been developed by The Forge, a new one-stop shop for arts education in the county. The youngsters taking part will also get a tour of the DLI and will complete a worksheet based around the exhibits on display.

The project will be running throughout the week.

A Durham County Council spokeswoman said: "The children will examine the issues surrounding the war at home and abroad and complete the worksheet, which is based on exhibits.

"The Forge aims to develop high quality arts education projects for young people across the county.

"Funded by Durham County Council, Northern Arts and the Regional Arts Lottery programme, it also brokers relationships between artists and people in schools and the community.''