SAILORS from one of the North-East's adopted warships will be in the region next week to cement their new-found friendships - in real cement.

Crew members from County Durham's adopted Royal Navy ship HMS Bulwark are spending four days in the region carrying out a variety of shore-based duties.

Top of the list will be a visit to Trinity School, at Aykley Heads, Durham City, where the sailors will help with building and repair work to the special school.

The sailors will be relaying paving slabs, repairing brick walls and fencing, redecorating offices and changing areas and re-surfacing an all-weather play area.

Three days of work gets under way on Tuesday morning, followed by an afternoon visit to renew their friendships with pupils at Forest of Teesdale School, forged during the crew's first visit to the county in November.

The following day, crew members will be at Bishop Auckland Hospital to hand over a vital signs monitoring machine to the children's ward, bought with money raised by Master at Arms Dave Harris during a world- record breaking rowing machine marathon.

Later in the day, the sailors will visit Harbour Lodge Extra Care Development in Seaham, Aycliffe Young People's Centre and County Hall.

Captain Jerry Stanford, commanding officer of HMS Bulwark, said: "Our affiliation with County Durham is very new, but there is a determination among the ship's company that it will be meaningful and that it should bring real and tangible benefits for both ourselves and people and organisations in County Durham.

"Our inaugural visit last November got things off to a cracking start and next week's visit will help us maintain the momentum."