Take a look around home of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade

One of the main features in the exhibition at South Shields Museum

Open days are on offer at the historic Watch House as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade.

The building, on the South Pier, South Shields, will be open between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21.

Today's team members sporting the 150th Anniversary ganseys knitted as part of the celebrations project by local knitting group the Materialistics.

There will be guided tours of the Grade-II listed building, which houses a collection of shipwreck memorabilia, original life-saving equipment, and hundreds of photographs and records tracing the history of the brigade, which was formed in January 1866.

The Watch House has served as the headquarters of the Brigade since it was built in 1867.

Tom Fennelly, honorary secretary of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade, said: “The open day weekends have been very popular and hundreds of visitors have experienced the Always Ready story of the history of the brigade as well as learning about today’s search and rescue service.

“The Watch House occupies a unique place in our local history and heritage and is well worth a visit. Admission is free.”

A major exhibition celebrating the anniversary continues its run at South Shields Museum until September 17.

Hundreds of local school children have visited the exhibition and the Watch House in recent months.

There have also been visits to local schools as a major new digital educational resource is available to make the story accessible online to schools throughout the country.