THE High Sheriff of County Durham is visiting schools across the Darlington borough to teach youngsters the long history of his office.

Richard Coad, who is the 1,013th High Sheriff of the county, launched his series of visits last week with a trip to Abbey Infant School in the town, accompanied by the Reverend John Dobson.

Mr Coad, who runs the Coad and Co accountancy firm in Houndgate, Darlington, hopes the visits will raise the profile of the High Sheriff post.

He also hopes that it will give him the opportunity to introduce secondary school pupils to the National Shrievalty initiative, which has been designed to discourage debt owed by young people.

Mr Coad, who was sworn in at Durham Crown Court in March, to serve in the post for 12 months, hopes to visit most of the schools in the borough before the end of his term of office.