UN accolade for historic films

Long-lost film footage of Edwardian England has been given special status by the UN.

The Mitchell and Kenyon films were discovered in the basement of a Blackburn shop in 1994 where they had lain undiscovered for around 70 years.

Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon filmed football matches, crowd scenes and even an early crime reconstruction along with unique footage of touring fairground showmen.

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The footage has been listed on the Unesco UK Memory of the World Register which was created to support and raise awareness of historical archives.

The work of the GPO Film Unit, which helped create the modern documentary film, was also listed.

Heather Stewart of the British Film Institute, said: “The film-makers never intended their films to last but they have become the single most important source for modern British history.”

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