A tourist attraction recreating the world of Britain's best-known vet is appealing for information about the forgotten art of spring cleaning - 1940s style.

Before the arrival of the vacuum cleaner, the spring clean was a family tradition which required a great deal of time and planning.

Staff at the World of James Herriot Centre, in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, are hoping to revive those days with future projects and displays.

Margaret Tipton, pictured in appropriate cleaning guise, said the museum needed residents' memories of spring cleaning to help build up its social history information.

"It is not practised so much these days, but spring cleaning certainly fits into that 1940s and 1950s period. We would like to know the procedures and the way it was carried out in that time."

Anyone with information they would like to share with the centre can telephone (01845) 524234.