Gospels return raised in Commons

The manuscript was produced by monks on Lindisfarne

The Archbishop of Canterbury has given his backing to a campaign to return the Lindisfarne Gospels to the north-east.

The illustrated manuscripts, created by monks on Northumberland's Holy Island in around 700AD, were kept at Durham Cathedral for hundreds of years.

During a visit on Thursday Dr Rowan Williams said he thought the gospels should return to the north-east.

They are curently held at the British Library in London but campaigners are confident to bring them back to Durham.

The eighth century gospels were taken from the cathedral during Henry VIII's dissoloution of the monastries.