PRINCE William was offered the services of a midwife during his visit to Sunderland.

The Prince, whose wife Kate is expecting the couple's third child in April, was chatting with the crowd at The Fire Station.

Speaking with a woman who had waited to meet the Royal couple he was directed towards another spectator who told him she was a midwife.

"I hope we don't need you," the Prince said, laughing. "You are on call are you?

"I don't think we have planned it well enough, but I will bear you in mind, just in case."

The Duke and Duchess will watch workshops and performances from some of the groups using The Fire Station, where a £3.5m transformation was completed late last year with a £2.4m Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

The building stood empty for 22 years before becoming a core part of the Music, Arts and Culture (MAC) Trust’s plans to create a £10m cultural quarter centred on The Fire Station and an adjacent new £8m auditorium, where work will start soon.

During their visit, the Duke and Duchess, who will be unveiling a commemorative plaque, will be given a tour of the building by MAC Trust chairman Paul Callaghan and Helen Green, director of The Fire Station.

Later the Duke and Duchess will travel to see the Northern Spire, an ambitious and striking new bridge over the River Wear, due to open this Spring.

The 1,550-tonne pylon structure is twice as high as Nelson’s Column and taller than Big Ben’s clock tower.

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