AN unusual police flying squad will be dropping into a football tournament at the weekend.
Durham Constabulary's newly-formed parachute display team will make its first official jump on Sunday to launch an international under-16 soccer tournament.
The four skydivers will each wear the strips of one of the participating teams - England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
They are due to drop into Durham City's New Ferens' Park minutes before the 11am kick-off of England's match against Wales.
The display leader, PC Dave Mitchell, who is based at Blackhill, will hand the match ball to referee Nigel Miller, a Durham police sergeant recently appointed to the Premiership's roll of assistant referees.
PC Mitchell, who joined Durham Constabulary three years ago, is a former Para and a member of the regiment's Red Devils display team.
He is also a qualified instructor and has made nearly 4,000 jumps around the world, including a drop into the North Pole from a Russian jet.
He formed the force's parachute club last year but this will be its inaugural jump.
The event is organised by the National Association of Clubs for Young People (formerly the National Association of Boys' Clubs).
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