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Sonia Sharma & Daniel Hall

BBC's Antiques Road Trip to feature some of North East's most famous landmarks

Historic North East landmarks are set to feature on TV show Antiques Road Trip over two days.

The BBC show, which is not to be confused with Antiques Roadshow, sees two antique experts compete against each other with a budget of £200 to buy antiques and collectibles which are then sold at auction.

And in Thursday's episode (January 27), experts Irita Marriott and Phil Serrell tour the region, from Barnard Castle to Newcastle, looking for the best ways to spend their money.

Go here for more what's on updates, news and reviews from around the North East

Irita also takes a trip back to the heyday of British seaside holidays and stops at Whitley Bay’s Spanish City, where she discusses the history of the iconic building.

The landmark, which dates back to 1910, was restored as part of a major restoration programme and now houses food and drink venues as well as a gift shop and function space.

On Friday (January 28), the TV crew will move to Northumberland, stopping at a former school room which is now a museum.

The Lady Waterford Hall, part of the Ford and Etal Estates, will provide the backdrop for the last leg of Irita and Phil's tour.

The hall, which was originally commissioned by Lady Louisa Waterford as a school for local children, is adorned with watercolours which were painted on site over 21 years and influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

Spanish City in Whitley Bay will feature on the BBC's Antiques Road Trip (Spanish City)

The figures were modelled on the school's children and residents of the village and were painted in Louisa's studio. It was still used as a school until the 1950s, before being moved to a different location in Ford village.

Vicky Smith-Lacey, heritage curator for the Lady Waterford Hall, said: "Although well-known to the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood and even royalty in her day, Louisa’s work has slipped into obscurity.

"She should be remembered not only for her incredible artistic talent, but also for her ceaseless efforts to alleviate suffering amongst her tenants.

"A national audience is nothing more than Louisa deserves, and we hope viewers of Antiques Road Trip will come and see her artistic masterpiece for themselves.

"We’re a small museum, run by a charitable trust and we rely on donations to remain open. A national audience will help us protect this artistic treasure for posterity.

"You won’t find a schoolroom quite like this anywhere else in the world. The murals in Lady Waterford Hall, painted to help educate the children, aren’t just a Pre-Raphaelite triumph, they’re a record of the people who lived and worked here in the Victorian era.

"The museum has something for art lovers and history lovers, as well as for families and children - we even welcome dogs. The hall and surrounding model village of Ford is a step back in time. It’s a must-see on any trip to Northumberland."

Both episodes, on Thursday and Friday, will air on BBC One at 4.30pm.

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