A CRUISE ship bringing scores of sight-seers to the North-East has made a return trip to the waters of the River Wear.

The MS Gann sailed into the Port of Sunderland’s Corporation Quay on Friday, bringing 162 tourists from Stavanger, in Norway, to the city to explore what Sunderland and the wider region has to offer.

Passengers were greeted with guide packs outlining how they could enjoy their stay, from visitor attractions like the National Glass Centre and the sea-front, to the bars, cafes and restaurants around the city centre.

This is the third time the 6,257-tonne Norwegian cruise ship has visited the Wear.

It made a surprise visit to the port during a training exercise in April 2014, when an unscheduled diversion meant it could not reach its intended destination.

Following that chance visit, the cruise ship crew were so impressed by the city and the hospitality shown by the Port of Sunderland, that they returned in June the following year with more than 140 tourists on board.