BBC takes local film archive on tour of UK

The BBC has announced plans to tour the UK this month showcasing archive film from local areas, while also offering people the chance to "star" in their own bit of film history.

The Reel History of Britain Experience will travel to Glasgow, Grimsby, Peterborough and Leicester throughout September, holding screenings of archive films and allowing visitors to learn more about their own local archives.

Old cameras, film stock and technology will be available to explore, and visitors can get dressed up to appear in their own archive film using a green screen.

The tour has been organised by BBC Learning's Hands on History team and is accompanied by a new 20-part BBC Two series, titled The Reel History of Britain, premiering on September 5.

Presented by Melvyn Bragg, the series retells the stories of life in Britain from 1900 to 1970 using archive material from the British Film Institute and other national and regional film archives.

Bragg said: "At the turn of the last century one invention changed the way we recall our history forever - the motion camera. Thanks to Britain's pioneering film-makers, we can still glimpse a world long gone."

Nina Bell, BBC Learning's Hands on History campaign executive, added: "The event is about connecting people with their past through film.

"For people of all ages, it's amazing to see footage from when they were little and to see how much has changed from past hardships to the simple pleasures of British life. But it's also about sharing stories and memories as a family, ensuring that our history is handed down from generation to generation."

Dates and locations for the Reel History of Britain Experience run as follows:

September 9 & 10 - Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow
September 16 & 17 - Riverhead Square, Grimsby
September 23 & 24 - Catherdral Square, Peterborough
September 30 & October 1 - Humberstone Gate, Leicester