Barnard Castle will play host to a group of international dignitaries as part of a campaign to attract investment to the town.

Officials from France and the Netherlands are on a economic and cultural visit based at the Bowes Museum from today until Sunday.

The aim is to bring together arts and regeneration experts from similar towns to share success stories.

The towns, Harfleur in France, and Montfoort, in the Netherlands, are both market towns of a comparable size to Barnard Castle, with similar cultural and economic ideals.

Dr Anne Allen, of Barnard Castle Vision, said: “This is not about cultural twinning, it is about promoting Barnard Castle as a European market town and working in partnership with other towns that have similar aspirations.

“We will use this opportunity to forge close ties and make new contacts.”

The visitors will tour the Bowes Museum, followed by a walking tour of Barnard Castle tomorrow.

They will also visit Newcastle’s Quayside and tour an Anglo-French exhibition at the Sage, Gateshead.