A MINI-launching ceremony was conducted to mark the addition of the latest attraction to the scale model layout of the River Tees.

Ex-carpenter John Quick was joined by Stewart Goldie and BBC Radio Cleveland presenter Stewart McFarlane as they launched the wooden copy of the Teesside Princess cruise boat.

The boat will be moored at a copy of Stockton's Castlegate Quay, from where the life-size version takes passengers for party and regular cruises to Yarm.

Retired building site carpenter Mr Quick, of Priestcroft, Marske, Redcar, was asked by boat staff member Tony McDonald to make the model, having already commissioned him to make a first model and a ship's wheel for his office.

Mr Quick said: "I was amazed, but pleased, when it actually floated at the launch. I was given a copy of the boat-building plans to make my smaller version. I'm quite honoured Tony asked me."

Mr Quick is already turning his ever-active hands to making Christmas presents in his workshop in his garden shed.

He said: "If I see piece of wood I just have to make something out of it, and my mind gets working on designs. The Teesside Princess model was made out of scraps of wood I found in my garage."

His model can be seen at the large-scale layout model of the Tees, illustrating the river's route from tributary to Teesmouth, at Nature's World, on Ladgate Lane, Middlesbrough.