DUTCH students have inspected work to transform a local park into a multi-million pound landmark.

The students, from Eindhoven College of Technology, visited Herrington Country Park, a former colliery site, which is being changed from a reminder of Sunderland's industrial past to a modern facility for the city's future.

Their visit coincided with a visit by one of the tenants of the park's lake, the Wearside Model Boat Club, which has been involved in the consultation stage of the reclamation process, and aims to turn the lake into a competition centre.

City of Sunderland landscape and reclamation manager Keith Hamilton said: "Such is the city's reputation for reclamation projects, that the Dutch students asked to come to Sunderland to see how things should be done.

"We showed them how the former colliery site and pit heaps are being transformed into a beautiful open public space where today's, and future, generations will be able to enjoy the lake, an amphitheatre, new footpaths, and cycleways and sculptures."

Boat club member Tom Gill said: "The lake will be ideal for our members to use and to host national and international competitions. The park will become a well-known and recognisable landmark to represent Sunderland."

The park is due to open in the summer as the County Showground for the Durham County Show.