WALKERS braved gales and torrential rain to make a symbolic pilgrimage in honour of a North-East saint.

About 50 people took part in a walk from Chester-le-Street to Durham, to mark St Cuthbert's Day on Saturday, the 1,317th anniversary of the death of the Holy Island prior.

Monks fleeing Viking invaders brought the remains of St Cuthbert to Durham from their previous home, in Chester-le-Street, in 995AD and they were enshrined in a church built on the site of the city's cathedral.

Members of the Northumbrian Association dressed as monks, were joined on the six-mile walk by the managing director of Northumbrian Water, John Cuthbert.

The Lindisfarne Gospels were dedicated to St Cuthbert. They resided with his remains at Durham from the 12th Century, until Henry VIII had them removed to London.

The Northumbrian Association is leading the campaign for their return. It is also calling for Cuthbert to be adopted as the North-East's official patron saint.

John Danby, from the association, said: "We have our own very strong identity and there is no reason why we should not have our own patron saint - we are Northumbrian.

"Everyone celebrates St Patrick's Day and even St George, who was probably not even English."

The saint's remains were permanently placed in a tomb at Durham Cathedral in September 1104.

To mark the anniversary, the cathedral held a service of evening prayer, festival of lights and a procession to his shrine.