AN Olympic legend will be in the North-East at the weekend to support a rowing event.

Five times Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave will be in Stockton for the Steve Redgrave Charitable Trust Tees Challenge on Sunday.

He will visit the town's Castlegate Watersports Centre to meet youngsters from rowing clubs in the area and will name a dragonboat.

It is hoped the event will attract about 25 entries from top rowing teams across the UK.

Money raised will be ploughed back into the community and used to help disabled people and disadvantaged youngsters.

The idea for the event came from Peter Moore, of Yarm, who met Sir Steve at a charity dinner last year.

Mr Moore set the ball rolling by holding weekly meetings with Stockton Borough Council, which is staging the event.

Mr Moore said: "It's been a lot of hard work but it is going to do a lot of good for a lot of people. It raises the profile of the region by having such a nationally and internationally renowned and respected person, such as Sir Steve, putting his name to this event.

"He is in touch with a lot of other sporting personalities so who can say what may follow."

The event will complete a weekend of watersports on the River Tees from Friday to Saturday.

They will begin at the Castlegate Watersports Centre on Friday with a charity event in aid of Daisy Chain.

The Tees Regatta then takes place on Sunday and is expected to attract more than 300 rowers.