A DECORATED Russian cosmonaut touched down in the North-East yesterday to tell young people the sky is the limit when it comes to realising their dreams.

Yuri Usachev, who has spent 670 days in space, was at the University of Sunderland where he gave students a rare insight into life in space.

Mr Usachev said: "I came from a small town where for most people space travel would have remained a dream. For me it was the same, but I made my dream become reality.

"One of my roles now is in telling children there is a future in space. It is not my future any longer, but their future. Even if they do not become astronauts, there are many jobs on the ground in mission control or in the support systems.

"If just one in a thousand children I speak to starts to do something about going into the space industry, I feel I will have achieved something."

Mr Usachev, who also addressed an adult audience in the evening, spoke about his time on board the Russian Mir Space Station and the International Space Station.

As commander of the second expedition to the International Space Station in 2001, Mr Usachev - who has won numerous awards - spent 167 days in space.

He worked on board Mir as an engineer for six months in 1994 and seven months in 1996.

The morning visit was part of the Sunderland University's award-winning Bright Sparks science initiative, launched last year to show youngsters aged 11 to 16 that science and technology are fun exiting and relevant to our lives.

Any schools or individuals wanting to join the Bright Sparks club should contact Rachael Dunnett, on 0191-515 3000.