PRIME Minister Tony Blair carried out a busy schedule of events in the North-East yesterday.

He started the day on familiar ground, meeting constituents at Trimdon Labour Club, in his Sedgefield constituency, where he launched a Handyvan scheme.

The Age Concern project aims to prevent accidents in older people's homes and encourages independent living by sending volunteers to carry out safety checks and perform small tasks around the house.

While there, he had a blast from the past when he was handed a photograph of himself on the campaign trail in 1983. It was given to him by 78-year-old Joan Buckley, of Chilton, County Durham.

In the picture, her father, John Oldham, a former miner, was being presented with a Labour Party long-service award by Mr Blair.

Mrs Buckley said: "My dad would definitely have been proud to have his local MP as Prime Minister.

"It was very nice of Mr Blair to sign it for me because it is now a family heirloom."

He then visited Teesside, where he opened the £4m Thornaby Medical Centre.

Senior partner Dr Bhadresh Contractor said: "Mr Blair was impressed that we have lots of services including doctors, a community dentist, optician, outreach and secondary care services for minor operations."

Next, he joined staff at Pickering's Lift factory, in Stockton, to help them celebrate the company's 150th anniversary.

While there, he met the company's longest serving employee, Gary Webster, who has worked for the company for 50 years. He also met its newest recruit, apprentice David Cassidy.

He then enjoyed a drink of Celebration Ale made at Pinchinthorpe Hall, east Cleveland, with company chairman Donald Fothergill, before he left to to meet LibDem leader Charles Kennedy.

His final engagement was the official opening of Locomotion: National Railway Museum, in Shildon.

Outside, a group of pro-hunt campaigners held a peaceful demonstration.