THE star-spangled banner was raised over the ancestral home of the United States’ first president as part of the country’s Independence Day’s celebrations yesterday.

Washington Old Hall, the ancestral home of George Washington’s family, once again played host to events organised in partnership by the National Trust and Sunderland City Council.

The July 4th commemoration comes in the tenth anniversary year of Sunderland signing the Friendship Agreement with Washington DC.

The programme included musical entertainment from City Swing and with a reading from the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Crawford on behalf of Sunderland Youth Parliament.

The flag was presented to Thomas Clark of Washington School,wearing the Washington Greys uniform, while among those attending the ceremony was Lucy McCarville, of Washington DC.

The singing of the American National Anthem was followed by a reading of Martin Luther King’s The Dream by Rebecca Robinson of Monkwearmouth Academy

Sunderland mayor Cllr Alan Emerson said: “This is one of the annual events everyone looks forward to, and the honour of representing our community at an occasion which symbolises our unique links with the United States and its capital city.

“The Friendship Agreement between our city and Washington DC is something we can all be very proud of, and something which continues to create significant benefits.

“This year marks the 10th Anniversary of our partnership with Washington DC, and a Friendship Agreement which further strengthens our shared cultural heritage and cultural and economic futures.”