PREPARATIONS are under way for the North-East's celebration of a new annual event.

The first Merchant Navy Day was held last year with an official march in London and an added procession in Redcar.

Now the Dormanstown and Redcar branch of the Merchant Navy Association (MNA) is preparing for this year's event, to be held in the seaside town on Sunday, September 2.

The parade will assemble outside the Rafa Club at 10.15am, for a 10.30am march along the seafront to the lifeboat museum.

At the museum, there will be a short service and wreath-laying ceremony.

Derek Shorter, chairman of the Dormanstown and Redcar branch, of the MNA, said: "We had an excellent turnout at the inaugural parade, in 2000, so we therefore request people's participation again."

The Government created the ceremony to allow people to pay their respects to seamen who died during conflicts.