PEOPLE are invited to step aboard a Royal Navy mine hunter named after a North-East village while it is docked in the region.

HMS Hurworth is berthed at Hartlepool's Victoria Quay during a five day visit to the region.

Crew from the vessel will be visiting its namesake village Hurworth, near Darlington, today to enjoy an evening of entertainment at the Emerson Arms.

Tomorrow they will attend a morning service at All Saints Church before playing a game of cricket against Hurworth Gentlemen, at Hurworth Cricket Club.

Parish council chairman Ken Pattison said: "They are very helpful and are always keen to come to Hurworth and join in with the events that we arrange for them.

"They are genuinely interested in the village that there ship is named after and we are really looking forward to them coming again."

The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Richard Goldstone, will open up the gangplank today (Saturday) to allow people to have a look around the vessel.

HMS Hurworth is a Hunt Class mine countermeasures vessel, 60m-long with a beam of 10m and a displacement of 650 tonnes.

The ship carries a crew of 45, including six mine clearance divers, whose job it is to swim to mines in order to place explosives.

Lt Cdr Goldstone said: "We are always lucky enough to receive amazing hospitality in the North-East and our packed programme already indicates that will be the case again.

"In particular, we are rather humbled by the sheer generosity being shown to us by our affiliated village of Hurworth and we are all looking forward to spending plenty of time in the village with people who live there and are so supportive to us."

On Monday, the crew will roll up its sleeves before heading off to Rockliffe Court Care Home in Darlington, another of the ship's affiliates, to help out on site with everything from gardening to DIY. Another group from the ship will also visit Hurworth Primary School to chat to the children about the ship and the Royal Navy.

HMS Hurworth is open to the public from 10am to 4pm today (Saturday) and sets sail again on Tuesday, June 7.