THE story of how Keswick and the surrounding area returned to peace following World War One is being told through a new exhibition.

Keswick Museum is launching War and Peace on January 12 and includes rarely seen works from the private collection of a Cumbrian war artist.

Museum manager Becks Skinner, who has been busy preparing for the launch, said: "This has been a great exhibition to research and develop.

"Our volunteers have uncovered some amazing stories of the challenges faced by the people of this area.

"For many people, the guns falling silent in November 1918 is the end of the story. Through this exhibition, we will tell the forgotten story of what happened next and the path to peace."

The fourth-month showcase will bring together works by David A Baxter of Borrowdale, showing examples of his work from the war in France to peace at home in Cumbria. This includes works from his family’s private collection.

The exhibition will also explore the work of Keswick-born sculptor, Frances Derwent Wood, who created masks for soldiers with facial disfigurements between 1917-1919.

The exhibition, which has been made possible with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, explores the topic through four zones.

It tells a local story but organisers say it is one that resonates with other communities nationally.

The first section focuses on the war and includes the stories of local men including Captain Hayes MC, a horticulturist, whose family set up Hayes Garden Centre in Ambleside.

The second examines the challenges faced by returning service personnel and the final two sections convey stories of remembrance and peace, exploring how those left behind marked the lives of their loved ones who didn’t come home, through the development of memorials and commemorations in the local area.