Children from a West Cumbrian school have been learning about the town's history thanks to an anonymous benefactor.

More than 100 children from Beckstone Primary School in Harrington visited the Helena Thompson Museum and Workington Hall to learn about their local history.

The project was funded by a legacy from a Harrington man, which enabled the museum to lay on activities including building a model of the hall and playing a card game based on the Curwen family.

The money also allowed the museum to upgrades its outside areas in keeping with Harrington's maritime history, with ship planters and gates.

A spokesman for Milburns Solicitors, executors of the man's estate, said: "The Helena Thompson Museum has recently benefited from a discretionary trust left for the benefit of the community of Harrington.

"We have been working closely with the museum to ensure the wishes of the benefactor, a local historian and teacher, are being fulfilled and that the next generation can be inspired by his legacy of artefacts and information on the maritime history of the area."

Milburns Solicitors said the benefactor's name could not be revealed because of the stipulations of his will but revealed he had been a metalwork teacher at St Joseph's School in Workington and had lived in Harrington for most of his adult life.

He also enjoyed sailing and was an active member of the Harrington History Group, as spokesman said.

Jo White, year one teacher at Beckstone Primary School, said: "We had a fabulous time at the museum. The children absolutely adored it.

"They loved all the activities and the volunteers at the museum were outstanding.

"This trip ties in with the local history studies the children do.

"They all liked different things but I think the game of I Spy around the ruins of Workington Hall was very popular."

Tricia Poole, manager at the museum, said children had been shown images of very small details of the hall and they had to find those details during their visit to the hall.

She added: "It was wonderful to have them here and after their visit we received letters and drawings from children telling us how much they enjoyed their visit.

"We really didn't expect it and it was lovely to hear those comments from the children."