PICKERING will be turning back the clock this weekend as the town hosts the annual wartime weekend.

The three-day event is run by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) with support this year from Pickering in Business, a not-for-profit organisation operated by more than 70 firms from the town.

Neil Armstrong, chairman of Pickering in Business and owner of Trailblazer Outdoors, said the aim was to make this year's Railway In Wartime a fully immersive 1940's event, which would set the standard for future years.

"The business group has becoming increasingly active over the last couple of years and we felt we needed to be more involved in the wartime weekend, which is the biggest annual attraction in Pickering and probably the area," he said.

"A tremendous amount of support has been given to the group by NYMR, as it endeavours to develop this into a premier event - one set to grow in years to come."

Neil said events and activities would be taking place throughout the town, as well as the railway, from Friday to Sunday.

"The former tourist information centre is opening for the weekend as a hub for people visiting the town to find out more about this and future events across the area," he said.

"There will also be period stalls, re-enactments, singing and dancing - plenty of entertainment for everyone.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the area and we have people visiting for the weekend who see what Pickering has to offer and stay for longer or come back at other times in the year."

Events start on Friday with the flag raising ceremony at Pickering station and children from the local junior schools being "evacuated" to Levisham.

Each station along the railway will be transformed to create a variety of scenarios with Home Guard demonstrations at Goathland and music and dance entertainment at Grosmont.

Levisham will once again be transformed into the German-occupied French village of Le Visham with re-enactment displays and a cafe.

Pickering Station will be recreating "The Sidings", a wartime street which will include Joan’s wartime hair salon, NAFFI and Sidings Inn, wartime traders and live entertainment, including Paul Harper. Ampleforth College Big Band will be playing a repertoire of music from the 1930s and 1940s on Sunday afternoon.

Pickering Infant School HSA and Friends of Pickering Junior School will be joining together to run a soup kitchen held at the infant school in Ruffa Lane, on Saturday, from 10am to 3pm serving hot drinks, homemade soup, sandwiches and cakes, with all proceeds to both schools.

NYMR general manager, Chris Price, said: 2This will be my second Railway in Wartime weekend at the railway and I’m really looking forward to it! Last year, as always, was a lot of hard work but well worth it to see everyone having a great time all along the line.”

l A 12-page souvenir newspaper in 1940’s style to include a comprehensive round up of events, plus some original stories from the period, will be on sale throughout Pickering in various outlets for £1 throughout the weekend.

The newspaper has been produced by the Gazette & Herald, in conjunction with Pickering in Business and the NYMR.