AN EXHIBITION exploring the life of teenage war victim Anne Frank and the history of the Holocaust has been launched in Burnley.

The exhibition Anne Frank: A History for Today aims to teach schoolchildren about her short life and the dangers of racism.

Anne spent the last two years of her life hiding in secret compartments with her mother, father and elder sister in a house in occupied Holland during the Second World War.

She was eventually captured and died in the Nazi concentration camp of Bergen Belsen in 1945 aged just 15.

The daily diaries she kept while in hiding have been published and read by tens of millions of people.

But her story is new to today's generation of teenagers Terry Murnane, community faith co-ordinator at the Faith Centre, said: "The students that visit the exhibition will learn a lot about the life of Anne Frank, who she was and what she went through.

“It is amazing to see them getting involved and learning the lessons and messages that come from the story.

“On the educational side it is more than just an exhibition, children are interacting with the moving life story and learning from it.”

Youngsters from more than 20 schools are to visit the two-week exhibition which is part of the Anne Frank Trust’s Take a Stand programme to promote positive social action in local communities.

The trust is the UK partners of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

“The trust do a lot of fantastic work around the country,” said Mr Murnane.

“This is the first time they have done something in this area and we are delighted to be involved.”

* Anne Frank: A History for Today is at the Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre until Friday, June 25. Open 3.30pm to 6.30pm every weekday afternoon, except for Wednesday June 23, when it is open all day, and Friday June 25 when it is only open in the morning