THE Black Country Living Museum’s bi-annual Historic Boaters’ Gathering will take place this weekend.

The event will bring together some of the region’s most extraordinary vessels and rekindle a unique way of life that has long since vanished.

Boat owners in period dress will man historic narrow boats - some of which are up to 150-years-old.

The boats will moor on the Tipton Road museum’s canal arm, once part of the canal network of the West Midlands, one of the densest canal networks in the country.

Irene De Boo, the museum's head of collections, said: “The canals of the West Midlands, known as the Birmingham Canal Network, played a key part in the industrial revolution and an important part in bringing the industrial revolution to the Black Country region, which during the 18th century, was comparatively remote.

"We’re very pleased to be able to offer this event which allows our visitors to see this way of life in an authentic setting.”

For more information about the event, which will run from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, visit www.bclm.com