Sportsmen from Middlesbrough will be donning their cricket whites next week and heading to Pakistan for the trip of a lifetime.

Eighteen teenagers and adults, from socially deprived areas of the town, have been selected to represent Teesside on a three-week cricket and football tour of the country.

The trip, organised by staff at the Azaad Project, in Marton Road, sets out on Monday and will cover Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.

Azaad development officer Barbir Noor said: "Basically, the trip is about trying to get the lads used to their own culture as many of them have never been to Pakistan before. It will be an eye opener for them.

"We used cricket as a way of getting them interested and involved. They have saved up for the trip themselves and will play nine games against local teams."

While there they will also visit the former cricket academy of Matsinimm Rashid, who now plays for Saltburn Cricket Club.

"Everyone is really excited about the whole trip," said Mr Noor. "We've been planning it for over a year."

The Azaad project - set up in 1993 - aims to tackle social deprivation in Middlesbrough and help improve quality of life for young Asian and black people.