THE mother of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence is to help launch a North-East exhibition on racism.

The travelling Anne Frank exhibition - based on the Dutch Jewish girl's story of persecution by the Nazis during the Second World War - opens in Durham Cathedral on Saturday.

The display shows what can happen when minorities are mistreated and intolerance becomes widespread.

It includes a section on how Stephen Lawrence, an 18-year-old A-level student from South-East London was stabbed to death by white racists in 1993.

The bungled murder investigation led to the Metropolitan Police being branded "institutionally racist".

Stephen's mother, Doreen, European Citizen of the Year, will attend the opening ceremony. Also present will be Eva Schloss, the step-sister of Anne Frank, who survived the notorious Auschwitz death camp.

The Reverend Samuel Randall, Durham Diocesan Ecumenical Officer, said Mrs Lawrence would "highlight that the issues of racism and discrimination are not peculiar to any particular time or place but are contemporary".

He said the exhibition and associated events "present our schools and community with a unique opportunity to learn not only about one young girl's tragic experiences but also to reflect on the potential and real prejudices of present day society.''

The exhibition runs until Sunday, November 26