HMS Lindisfarne left the region yesterday after paying its last visit before being decommissioned in January.

The ship gave people the chance to see the £22m Gateshead Millennium Bridge "blink'' when it opened to let the warship pass.

The ship had been docked on Newcastle's Quayside in the former port of the HMRY Britannia, which visited Tyneside on her final voyage before the bridge was built.

HMS Lindisfarne has been responsible for policing British fishing waters for the past 25 years. It will be replaced next year by a more modern vessel able to weather larger seas.

To mark the visit to the area, the crew of HMS Invincible, which is berthed at North Shields, will play a team including former North-East professional footballers tonight in its adoptive city. Northern League club Durham City AFC has announced its team will include Gary Bennett, ex-Sunderland and Darlington player, John Anderson, ex-Newcastle and David McCreery, who played for Newcastle and Manchester United.

The match, at the Archibald Stadium, kicks off at 7.30pm.

Admission costs £2, concessions are £1, and proceeds will go to Durham Mayor, Councillor Ray Gibbon's charity appeal and St Cuthbert's Hospice.