A SHABBY bunch of prisoners of war were marched from Malton railway station to the camp that became their home nearly 60 years ago.

This weekend they returned.

The Italian captives who were the first to arrive at Eden Camp, near the North Yorkshire market town, from the battlefields of the Second World War were joined two years later by groups of German prisoners.

Their wartime home again saw Germans pacing the perimeter wall, watched by British guards.

Their return was courtesy of re-enactors from the North West Second World War Historical Society, and German group the 85 Gerbirgsjager. Re-enactors spent the weekend living and sleeping in the huts that were the homes of the original inhabitants, and carrying out site duties.

Visitors were interrogated and escape efforts were common as the camp, now a museum, recreated wartime life.

A museum spokesman said: "The subject of prisoners of war continues to prove a popular one with the public, and this is a unique event in an entirely genuine setting."

Easter weekend also saw chocolate eggs delivered by motorcyclists to children in a York respite home.

The York Motorcycle Action Group made their fifth annual run to The Glen, taking Easter eggs and equipment bought for the centre from cash raised by the group. This year, they delivered sports and music equipment.

The Glen offers care to children with special needs.

At York Racecourse, model railway enthusiasts spent the weekend visiting the 39th annual York Model Railway Show.

The event was held at the Knavesmire Stand and featured 12 stands, 45 working layouts and displays by some of the country's leading enthusiasts.

The news that Britain's attractions were "open for business" seemed to have got through. In York, visitors queued in the rain for the newly-revamped Jorvik museum, and staff handed out umbrellas.

In Helmsley, a tourism information spokeswoman said business was picking up, with increasing numbers of people booking into guest houses over the last few days.

"Lots of people have been coming to the area," she said. "The marketplace is busy. We are lucky that we have a lot of places nearby that people can go to."

Ken Kitching, chief executive of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, said business had picked up considerably and was on a par with last year.

Updated: 11:25 Monday, April 16, 2001