THE crew from one of the biggest ships in the Royal Navy is to forge a friendship with the smallest school in the North-East.

Officers and crew of HMS Bulwark are to link up with the 12-pupil school at Forest-in-Teesdale, in County Dur-ham.

Captain Jerry Stanford, the commanding officer of the new 20,000 tonne amphibious assault craft, will visit the school on Monday to meet headteacher Carole Connolly and her seven boys and five girls.

The pupils will present a toy sheepdog called Gel, which will become the ship's mascot and sail all over the world.

HMS Bulwark is sailing into the Tyne today and Captain Stanford will take part in a number of official ceremonies in the area over the next two days.

But he decided that, rather than link up with a big school near the coast, it would be better to become friends with the small rural one, which recently won a British Council award for its work to promote international goodwill.

Mrs Connolly said: "Living and learning in a fairly isolated part of the county means I am always keen for the children to become involved in anything like this that broadens their experience."

Captain Stanford and his crew will send regular postcards and e-mails to the school from different parts of the world, and will be included in various lessons.

During Bulwark's visit, members of the crew aim to raise money for adopted local charities, including a children's ward at Bishop Auckland Hospital, with a sponsored static rowing machine 100,000-metre row.

Teams from the crew will also play rugby against Durham Police and football and netball against teams from Durham University.

Visitors can have a look round the Royal Navy's newest vessel on Saturday between 10.30am and 4pm.