The Northumbrians book meets critical and popular acclaim

The Northumbrians uses the ancient term for the area between the rivers Tweed and Tees

A book on the history of north-east England has won praise from historians, journalists, the former Dean at Durham Cathedral and an MP.

One bookshop had to restock after its initial order of The Northumbrians sold out, its publishers have said.

The book covers an area "overlooked by British and global history", they said.

Author Dan Jackson, who advised singer Cheryl on her family's history, said he was very pleased with the response from people who were not from the region.

"I always get the impression that the north-east of England is an attractive place to the rest of the country," he said.

"And I think we've got such an interesting and quite dramatic story to tell."

Dan Jackson was born, and still lives, in the region

Award-winning historian, biographer and broadcaster Tom Holland said it was the best book on a region of Britain he had ever read.

Times journalist, peer and scion of Northumberland's ancient Ridley family, Matt Ridley, said he was "hugely enjoying" details he had not known before.

Jackson is a founding member of the Northumbria World War One Commemoration Project and appeared on the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? with X Factor judge and Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.

He describes his work as "cultural archaeology".

"If I was to characterise the North East as friendly, sociable, obsessed with hard work, football, drinking, but also a place that's always valued learning, literacy, storytelling, humour - where does that all come from?" he said.

"I think you can tell a story that does go back centuries by peeling back the layers of history."

The history of the region is illustrated with paintings, drawings and Jackson's photographs

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