A CITY said a tearful farewell to its adopted warship this week.

The crew of HMS Invincible, above, paraded through the streets of Durham City on Monday to mark a 25-year affiliation between the two.

After a service in the Cathedral, the crew and ship's band lined up in Palace Green to march along Saddler Street to the Market Place, where ship's captain Neil Morisetti, Durham Mayor John Lighley and deputy mayor Jeff Lodge took the final salute.

To applause from the crowds, the crew, several of them with tears in their eyes, then marched to Millennium Place before falling out for the last time.

Sailors had been able to relax at a fun event on Sunday at the City's racecourse, which featured a visit by a Sea King helicopter, a display by three Royal Navy skydivers, the music of the Royal Navy Band and an It's a Knockout-style fun competition, involving 16 teams from both the Invincible and local groups and companies.

Pearson'sPlonkers,of Chester-le-Street Sea Cadets, won, ahead of Durham Fire and Rescue Service and the Prince Bishops' Shopping Centre.

The ship's final duty before it was taken out of service was to start the Tall Ships Race this Thursday.