RECENTLY qualified doctors will tend to patients of a different type at the weekend.

The doctors from Newcastle University will soon start working for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust but will spend Saturday afternoon tending to the guests of honour at a teddybears picnic at The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, County Durham.

The medics will be joining in with the fun of the picnic as well as bandaging poorly teddies and dishing out some TLC in a specially created First Aid tent.

Although this celebration of Paddington Bears birthday is designed to complement the Museums current exhibition, Toy Tales, there is a message behind the merriment in that it gives the professionals an opportunity to address white coat anxiety, by making a visit to the doctor or hospital a less stressful or frightening experience for children.

Families can bring along their favourite teddies together with a picnic to the museum at 1.30pm.

The event is free and will also have face painting. If the weather is wet the picnic will be held indoors.

For more details call 01833-690606 or visit thebowesmuseum.org.uk.