A NATIONAL Trust delegation will arrive in County Durham today, as efforts to secure the future of Auckland Castle as an arts and heritage attraction are stepped up.

The trust will hold talks with representatives from the Church of England and Durham County Council about their plan to open the historic home of the Bishops of Durham to the public.

The visit emphasises how the focus is already shifting from the saving of the Zurbaran paintings to the role they can play in the rebirth of Auckland Castle as a major tourist attraction.

The plan is for the 13 Zurbarans to form the centrepiece of a thriving art gallery, with other paintings loaned from the National Gallery, in London.

But the National Trust has sought to calm speculation that its involvement is a done deal, cautioning that only “early conversations” have taken place and hard negotiations lie ahead.

Full story in today's The Northern Echo