RETIRED accountant Alan Payne is putting his love of local history to good use by setting up a website to make it easy for people in Box to research the background to their homes and family.

Mr Payne, who studied history at Leicester University under historian George Hoskins, said he came up with the idea for boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk a year ago.

He said: “I realised there were a lot of people who were fascinated with the history of their own homes but a lot of this information is lost because it is not recorded.

“I hope we will be creating an archive that people in years to come will find useful.”

He is also working with local schools and churches on projects to get people of all ages involved.

He said: “The village school is very excited about it and want to encourage children to do research and then have their findings published on the website.

“The website will also be a community project where people can record memoirs of their life in Box, publish stories of their ancestors or ask for help in tracing family members.”