For years they were consigned to film canister, gathering dust while locked away in storage.

Eastern Daily Press: Images from Water on the Brain, shot by Douglas Butcher, which was submitted to the British Film Institute's Britain on Film project by the East Anglian Film Archive. They show images of the Broads in the 1960s. Picture: Douglas ButcherImages from Water on the Brain, shot by Douglas Butcher, which was submitted to the British Film Institute's Britain on Film project by the East Anglian Film Archive. They show images of the Broads in the 1960s. Picture: Douglas Butcher (Image: Archant)

But fascinating footage of life on the Broads in the 1950s has been released as part of a project hoping to publish 750 previously unseen videos filmed around the country.

Water on the Brain, shot by Douglas Butch er in 1955, captures idyllic clips of boaters, kayakers and landscapes from the region's waterways.

The East Anglian Film Archive (EAFA) submitted it under the rural life chapter of the British Film Institute's (BFI) wider three-year Britain on Film project - and it went live on the body's website last month.

Previous videos from the region published on the BFI Player include The Village Pet, which tells the story of how, in 1931, a seal came to be adopted by the village of Wareham.

Eastern Daily Press: An image from the film The Village Pet, which tells the story of a seal which was adopted by the village of Warham. It has been uploaded to the British Film Institute's BFIPlayer as part of its Britain on Film Project. Picture: British Film InstituteAn image from the film The Village Pet, which tells the story of a seal which was adopted by the village of Warham. It has been uploaded to the British Film Institute's BFIPlayer as part of its Britain on Film Project. Picture: British Film Institute (Image: Archant)

Britain on Film, which started two years ago, collects films from archives around the country under various themes such as rural life.

To watch Water on the Brain click hereand for the full collection of videos published so far - and more information on the initiative - visit http://player.bfi.org.uk/britain-on-film/

Do you have a Broads story for us? Email lauren.cope@archant.co.uk