A NORTH-EAST flooring franchise has stepped in to help the restoration project of the last 1960’s Trident 1C passenger airplane in the world.

Franks the Flooring Store has donated a carpet to fit-out the whole interior of the Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Trident, which is being worked on at the North East Air Museum in Sunderland.

The carpet given to the restoration team and is almost an exact replica of the carpet used throughout original standard models of the plane.

The project, headed by Tony Jarrett, a preservation of historic aircraft enthusiast, was moved to the site in Sunderland in 2011 and plans to fully renovate the 16th Trident built and the last carrier to fly.

Work carried out by an 11-strong expert team will reassemble and preserve the aircraft using the colour scheme of Northeast Airlines, which flew Tridents from Newcastle and Teesside Airports in the 1970s, before merging into British Airways.

The finished airplane will be restored externally and internally, with original fixtures and fittings, with an exhibition of Trident memorabilia on displayed inside the cabin.

Mick Copeland, Frank’s business development manager for the North-East, said: “Franks the Flooring Store has donated carpet which is almost identical to the style used in the 1960s.

“Two separate pieces were needed in order to illustrate a true representation of the plane. A more luxurious carpet was used in the first-class passenger section, compared with a standard carpet fitted where economy class passengers would sit.”

Mr Jarrett said: “The restoration of the Trident is coming together very well. We rely on kind donations to enable us to carry out this important work and make sure the restoration is as close to the original as possible.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the restoration project can do so by visiting: www.savethetrident.org.