A GROUP of tourists from the US have visited their town's namesake in the North-East.

The group, from Darlington, South Carolina, visited Darlington, County Durham, as part of a whistle-stop tour of the UK.

During a visit to the Darlington Railway Museum, the leader of the group, Rocky Gannon, asked if it would be possible to meet the mayor of Darlington, Councillor Isobel Hartley.

He handed over a letter from his mayor, Ronald Ward, as well as a key to the US town.

Mr Ward has been mayor of the US town for 18 years and asked his friend, Mr Gannon, to deliver the letter for him when he heard he was visiting the UK.

Coun Hartley said: "It was lovely to meet our friends from South Carolina, and they have offered a very warm welcome to anyone from here who wants to visit them."

The visitors stopped at the Darlington museum on their way from Edinburgh to York. They also planned to see Stratford and London.

Coun Hartley is keen to find out if anyone from the North-East has moved to Durham's namesake, in North Carolina.

She said: "It would be nice to know if anyone has friends or relatives out there, or knows if someone from here has settled there.