RENOVATION work on a former North Tyne school has unearthed some historical gems.

Workers carrying out a £200,000 refurbishment on guest rooms at the Brown Rigg holiday lodge site in Bellingham, in what was once the school’s medical wing, discovered cigarette packets and a bottle of Regelax liquid paraffin medicine.

Workers also found students’ graffiti and a signed brick left by construction workers.

Sue Hunter, co-owner of Brown Rigg Lodges, said: “We have been thrilled with the finds that have turned up at Brown Rigg these past few months.

“It’s wonderful to see what has been left behind by those who were here before us. We are now actively building up an archive of historic material and knowledge.

“We would welcome any input from people who have information, anecdotes or experience with the various iterations of Brown Rigg over the years – as well as the heritage of Northumberland.”

Originally built in 1938 to get city children into the country, Brown Rigg became a safe haven for evacuated girls during the Second World War.

Later, the site was used as a boarding school and a riding school, before being taken over by the Hunter family in 2016.