ONE of the world's most famous railway treasures has rolled into town to celebrate the opening of the North-East's first national museum.

The Flying Scotsman quietly arrived in Shildon on the back of a low loader on Tuesday morning where it waited to take its place in front of the newly-built collections centre.

It will be one of the main attractions at the museum's official opening tomorrow.

The museum, a joint venture between Sedgefield Borough Council and the National Railway Museum, has been open for previews since September and has already attracted thousands of visitors,

A spokesman for the borough council said that it was thrilled to have The Flying Scotsman at the museum in time for the celebrations.

He said: "A lot of people have worked extremely hard to make Locomotion an interesting museum to visit.

"To have the world's most famous locomotive, The Flying Scotsman, here on view is the icing on the cake.''

The museum will close between 10am and 3pm tomorrow, for the official opening ceremony.

Dignitaries from town and parish councils throughout the Sedgefield borough will gather with representatives from organisations in and around Shildon to celebrate what has become a new era in the history of the town.