Youngsters celebrating Europe Day today will have the World Cup on their minds.

For celebrations at Durham County Council's headquarters will have a German feel ahead of this summer's competition.

More than 250 children from 25 schools will go to the headquarters in Durham today to get a flavour of German life.

Brian Stobie, the council's international relations officer, said: "As the World Cup is being played in Germany in a few weeks, it seemed appropriate to have a German theme to our Europe Day celebrations.

"We will have a German accordion player helping the children, who will be wearing traditional German costumes, to learn the language through songs and a storyteller who will do a Grimm fairy tale workshop.

"Representatives from the German Embassy will show off a new website they have developed for children and there will also be a chance to make a typical mid-morning school snack and take part in German language lessons."