DEDICATED volunteers are making an impassioned plea to railway enthusiasts to help them bring their very own steam engine home to the North-East.

The Merlin is a small industrial engine that won the hearts of a group of steam enthusiasts in Shildon, County Durham, as they searched the country for their very own pet project.

A loan from Sedgefield Borough Council saw the little engine take up residence at the Timothy Hackworth Museum in Shildon in 1997 but problems with the engine and boiler in 2002 meant they had to bring in the experts.

Since then the former Bristol Gas works engine has been sitting in a workshop in Derbyshire in bits and the volunteers have had to be content with borrowing engines from other groups throughout the country to ferry passengers around the newly opened Locomotion: National Railway Museum.

Now the enthusiasts, who have called themselves the Merlin Restoration Group, have launched an appeal to bring Merlin home. Member David Heaton said: "We have put nearly ten years of work into this and we want to bring Merlin home. It means everything to us.

"We had a £40,000 lottery grant but due to complications it has not been enough to get the engine fully restored.

"The museum has been excellent by helping us borrow other engines to use on steam days at the museum but it is not the same as having our own. The Merlin is really the heart of our group."

The group has already started various fundraising events to help them with their task but they need £34,000 to realise their dream.

It is hoped that local businesses may respond to their plea by offering sponsorship and that visitors who flock to the region from all over the country will also give a pound or two.

Fundraiser Lesley Heaton said: "Every little helps and we have got events arranged for the future. We are even trying to set up a 200 club, which is a monthly prize draw."

The museum itself is also trying to help the volunteers. Manager George Muirhead said: "We support the group 100 per cent.

We want to see Merlin back at the museum as soon as possible. We could not operate without the Merlin group who are an essential part of the museum team and the National Railway Museum and Sedgefield Borough Council are working with them to try and bring Merlin home."

Anyone wishing to make a donation or join the group can contact Steve Down on (01748) 818585.