The past was brought to life at a special Second World War event.

Visitors to the D-Day Centre on Portland could sit in Second World War vehicles, have a go at operating remote-controlled tanks, browse for vintage items and engage with the military re-enactors as part of its Castletown at War event.

The Castletown D-Day Centre is an authentic recreation of a busy wartime dockyard where thousands of American troops departed for the Nazi-occupied beaches of France.

Rod Whitemore was visiting from Sherborne. His grandfather used to serve in the area and would often bring him along to show him the sites.

He said: "Places like this are brilliant little museums that are always worth a visit."

Sophie Webber from Upwey was visiting for the first time and enjoying getting hands-on with the exhibits.

She said: "It is really interactive. I like that you can sit on everything and interact with everything. 

"It is the weight of things that they had to get on the beach that I find quite shocking. When I pick those (the exhibits) up and think how hard it must have been."

Felicity Howard and Lauren Karstadt were on a weekend holiday from London and decided to visit.

Felicity said: "We are absolutely interested in history and I am teaching it at primary schools."

Lauren added: "I work with a pacifism charity so it is interesting to see (the exhibits)."

There are an impressive array of authentic Second World War artefacts and vehicles, including a full-size replica Spitfire, a Bofors 40mm gun and a restored Sherman tank, plus interactive audio-visual displays, tank tours and a D-Day bunker.

Outside, re-enactment volunteers from the Panzer Pioneer Battalion 86 were showing what the Allies would have been up against on D-Day.

The manager of the centre, Shaun Souster, said: "We don't believe in glass cabinets for our displays.

"Thank you to all the volunteers without whom this wouldn't be possible and to the re-enactors who came down."

The Castletown at War event took place across the weekend of Saturday, October 21 and Sunday, October 22.

As a Community Interest Company, the Castletown D-Day Centre relies on support from visitor admissions and is part of Castletown Regeneration Project spearheaded by Agincare Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst.