A TOWN'S history group is using modern technology to help residents delve into their past.

Visitors from all over the world are already logging on to www.shildonrecallsociety.com, which was launched by the Shildon Recall Society this week.

The site was designed free of charge for the group by local website designer Colin Devenport, who is also maintaining it, and will have regular updates about what the society is doing and what it has to offer.

Its aim is to maintain a continuous turnover of pictures from Shildon's past and present, and celebrate the town's colourful history.

It also hopes to help reunite long lost friends and help people trace their family tree.

Alan Ellwood, from the society, said: "This is our way of promoting the society throughout the world, as well as the history of Shildon.

"We find a lot of people who used to live in the town contact us for modern pictures of what the place looks like today as well as for photos from the past.

"Our aim has always been to maintain an archive of documents and photographs of Shildon, past and present, and with this new technology, make it available to the public at as little cost as possible.

"It is already proving popular and we have had a lot of people leaving messages of congratulations and wishing us good luck.''