SEDBERGH historians have shed light on the town's involvement in the First World War with a new book.

'Sedbergh and District 1914-1918. But who shall return us the children?' brings together photographs, letters and diary entries to uncover more about what life was like for the community.

Editor Diane Elphick said that collating the information from the society's collection and from outside contributions was a 'labour of love'.

"I tried to put it in their words, not mine," she said, talking about the editing process. "I had to take a step back and not put my prejudices in it."

Ms Elphick said that she wanted to highlight unusual stories that otherwise might have gone untold, including the role of women in the war and of fundraising efforts back at home.

In one particularly quaint story of a British Farmers Red Cross sale being held at Sedbergh Auction Mart, it is revealed that a little girl presented her own pet rabbit to raise money, ultimately raising £2 4s 6d - the equivalent of around £230 today.

The book is littered with tales like these as well as offering profiles of individual soldiers who died during the war at the end of each chapter.

"Little stories like that show that everybody was doing something, keeping busy," said Ms Elphick. "People were very supportive and generous of the local lads that went."

The idea for the book was first thought of in 2009 but was put on hold until 2014 and its 2016 release ties in with the Battle of the Somme centenary.

It was given a Heritage Lottery grant in order to help with printing costs which means society is not selling the book but is accepting donations.

Graham Dalton, the chair of the Sedbergh and District History Society described the volume as a 'work of rare scholarship' and said that if there was the appropriate subject and the manpower available, then the society would certainly consider embarking on a similar project in the future.