A ROYAL emblem which adorned a landmark building for nearly 50 years has been recovered and moved to a new home.

The metre-high aluminium emblem was added to Milburngate House in Durham to mark its completion in 1968.

The building is now being demolished to make way for a £150 million cinema, restaurant and apartments development and contractor Carillion has rescued the old emblem.

It has been restored, mounted on a glass frame and presented it to the building’s former tenant, Her Majesty’s Passport Office, to be displayed at its new offices at nearby Freemans Reach.

Steve Hunter, Carillion’s project director, said: “The royal emblem reflects HM Passport Office’s long association with Durham City and we’re delighted to have successfully recovered it so it can be displayed and enjoyed by future generations of HM Passport employees and visitors.”

Neil Maughan, from HM Passport Office, said: “It is an important part of our heritage, which will take pride of place in our new home at Freemans Reach.”