NEW friendships are blossoming in the North-East as members of an international organisation host their Australian counterparts.

County Durham Friendship Force is this week hosting 11 people from the global network’s Sydney branch - with a whole host of activities planned to show off the best of the region. Yesterday saw the group visit Durham City where they met Mayor of Durham, Cllr Bill Kellett, in the Town Hall before exploring Durham Cathedral and cruising on the River Wear.

County Durham branch president Cynthia Scott, who has been hosted in Sydney previously, said: “You see so much more travelling this way. You’ve got to enjoy other people and be interested in their lifestyle.” It is the last stop off before home for the travellers from Down Under who have already visited Latvia, Belgium and Manchester for a Friendship Force conference which marked its 40th anniversary.

Lesley Nelson, president of the Sydney branch, said: “We’re having a great time. We’ve been to the council chamber to meet the Mayor of Durham who had so much passion for the place and was very down to earth.”

She added she had been a member of the Friendship Force - which connects people from across the world through hosting - for 13 years and had been on many trips but always remembered the hosts.

They will visit Whitby, Raby Castle, Binchester and the Lake District.