HE was once Flash Gordon's biggest ally, but now larger-than-life actor Brian Blessed has thrown his weight behind an even better cause - to draw crowds of shoppers into Sunderland.
The thespian, famed for his thunderous belly laugh, is in town to play Captain Hook at the Empire Theatre.
City council bosses therefore thought he was just the man to help launch their official Christmas guide.
Under the slogan Walking In a Winter Sunderland, the guide is part of the council's Christmas marketing campaign.
It highlights Sunderland's crowd-pulling attractions.
Julie Elliott, city marketing manager, said: "Sunderland has undergone a major transformation in recent years and now we believe our festive offering will appear to a wider audience.
"Now boasting an improved retail sector, thriving nightlife and a wealth of attractions including the museum and Winter Gardens, Sunderland has a festive feast on offer for anyone visiting the city in the next five weeks."
Brian Blessed stars in the pantomime Peter Pan, which runs at the Empire Theatre, from Friday, December 21, to January 20.
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