SPECIAL events have helped boost visitor numbers at a Darlington museum.

More than 30,000 people passed through the doors at the Head of Steam Railway Museum on North Road in 2010.

Of those, more than 14,000 came to special events designed to increase visitor numbers.

There were 2,300 visitors to the Vintage Vehicle Rally in May and more than 800 people came to the Romans at the Railway Museum event in July.

There were more than 3,000 people who came on educational visits and more than 1,000 visitors to the Lewis Carroll: Living in Wonderland temporary exhibition in October.

Museum manager Dave Tetlow said: "I am overjoyed at the amount of visitors throughout 2010.

"The staff at the museum have worked hard to produce a varied and ambitious programme of events and activities for our museum service and I'm very proud that we have managed to increase our visitor numbers.

"The programme for 2011 is even more varied and I urge local people and tourists to visit, I think they might be surprised what we have on offer."

The events guide for 2011 can be viewed on the museum website at www.head-of-steam.co.uk.

Family membership is available for £15. For more information call 01325-460532.