A LEADING London trade guild has made Durham the destination for its annual master's weekend.

Happy memories from his student days in Durham ensured the city was the natural choice of this year's master of the Worshipful Company of Lightmongers, Simon Bartley, for its annual weekend away from the capital.

He studied engineering at Durham University's Collingwood College, from 1976 to 1979, and returned to complete a master's degree at Durham University Business School, in 1984-5.

Mr Bartley has become a leading light in the electrical contracting world.

He has also been a long-standing member of the lightmongers' group, and was elected as master this year.

A further link with Durham was the city's former adopted warship, HMS Invincible, with which the lightmongers also had connections.

This weekend's visit was forged on Invincible's final visit to the region, before being decommissioned, in 2005.

Former Durham mayor Councillor John Lightley, and a former master of the company met onboard Invincible, while it was berthed on the River Tyne.

Mr Bartley said: "With our joint affiliations with Invincible and my own student memories, it seemed natural that I should bring the company to Durham for my master's weekend.

"I remember my first visit, in 1974, when I came for an interview at the university and just fell in love with the city.

"When I returned home, I moved Durham up from fifth choice of university to top on my application list."

He headed a party of 35 company members visiting the region this weekend.

Based at Slaley Hall, in Northumberland, they spent Saturday in Durham, as guests of this year's Mayor, councillor Bob Wynn and John Heslop, chairman of the wardens of the City of Durham Freemen's Guilds.

They staged a formal meeting at the Gala Theatre, but also visited the Cathedral and castle as well as making an informal tour of the city.

During their stay, company members also visited Hadrian's Wall and Bowes Museum