A GUITAR-playing Italian doctor with a passion for rock music and Jesus Christ Superstar has started work in the region as a GP.

Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT), County Durham, has welcomed its newest recruit, Dr Riccardo Benci, as part of a drive to attract more GPs into the area.

Dr Benci will work at Dr Ian Walton's practice in Shildon and Dr Peter Jones' practice in Sedgefield, Fishburn and Trimdon.

But the 40-year-old, from Rome, has revealed that he almost did not make it into the medical profession.

He said: "I started playing electric guitar when I was eight years old. I soon started playing bass guitar and have been singing for several years.

"I started playing keyboards about five or six years ago and I plan to learn the violin sooner of later."

He said: "I've always loved English rock music - Jethro Tull, Yes, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer and so on - and I have more than 2,000 records and CDs.

"But my biggest passion has always been musicals, especially Jesus Christ Superstar. I learned English by translating it when I was much younger.

"I've acted in several plays and I've been in a couple of versions of Jesus Christ Superstar, playing Peter and Pontius Pilate in show in Rome, although I always wanted to play Judas."

Dr Benci said one of his biggest thrills was when he became friends with actor Carl Anderson, who played Judas in the show.

Now he has arrived in County Durham, Dr Benci said he is putting his musical ambitions to one side to concentrate on his GP role.

Dr Benci has also been struck by the support for and feedback to doctors from the PCT and said: "I feel honoured because this will definitely be a good way to work."