19th Century Newcastle has been brought to the public via a new exhibition and mobile app which allows users to walk through the city's streets and be presented with images of buildings no longer in existence.

The app was designed by University of Newcastle researchers and uses an augmented reality application that displays digital “layers” of text and images on an interactive map.

The designers have said that 'forgotten architecture' is given life through the exhibition.

Researcher on the project, Dr Tessa Morrison said:

“To see these extraordinary images, anyone can download a free application (Layar Reality App) to their smart phone or tablet device which allows them to roam the city’s streets, point at a site and get a window into the past, all at the flick of a screen.”

The researchers scanned the image database of the University’s Cultural Collections library and matched each historical photo to its present-day location.

The exhibition consists of 30 images of Newcastle past and present.