CHILDREN from all over the area have been spellbound this week by an event which saw them come face-to-face with fairytale characters.

Crook Hall, in Durham City, which boasts a secret garden and a maze, has been the setting for a magical half-term Fairytale Week

The seven days of activities have included story-telling sessions in the hall's Jacobean room, treasure hunts and the appearances of fairytale characters such as Red Riding Hood and Snow White.

Young visitors were also invited to leave a note beside the Wishing Tree and to help look for the troll which lives under the moat bridge, as well as following the Yellow Brick Road to the Magic Treasure Chest.

Maggie Bell, who lives at the hall said: "Our visitors often tell us that this is a magical place, so it seemed appropriate to hold a Fairytale Week.''