ASPIRING young journalists are to be given the opportunity to report on a touring production of a play looking at the First World War when it comes to a North-East theatre.

Theatre website TheatreCloud is launching a Young Reporters Scheme, giving writers between the age of 18 and 25 the chance to go behind the scenes and cover stories from the stage adaptation of Pat Baker’s novel Regeneration.

The play will come to Darlington’s Civic Theatre for a five night stay from November 11 and centres on on Craiglockhart War Hospital in Scotland in 1917, where poet and soldier Siegfried Sassoon has been institutionalized after his public disapproval of the war.

The young journalist chosen to cover the play in Darlington will be granted full access to carry out a number of media assignments during the five days, including interview features with the cast and related experts, video blogs, audience vox pops, crew diaries and backstage tour reports.

All articles will be published, with bylines, on TheatreCloud.com

The scheme is backed by the Arts Council’s funded Arts Awards and will provide experience and credits towards those doing Arts Awards.

Those interested in applying are asked to send in a sample of their work along with one or two story ideas around “Regeneration” to reporters@theatrecloud.com along with their name, age, address and contact details.

Applicants must be available between November 11 and 15. The deadline for applications is Friday, October 25.