THE Royal Navy’s new flagship berths in the North-East next week on its latest goodwill visit to its adopted county.

HMS Bulwark arrives on the River Tyne on Monday, at the start of a five-day visit to renew affiliations with County Durham.

The busy programme will see the crew of the amphibious assault ship, granted Freedom of Durham last year, exercise its right to parade through the city.

Bulwark recently took over from sister ship HMS Albion as the Navy’s fleet flagship.

Although not open to the public while, at North Shields, the ship’s commanding officer, Captain Alex Burton, and his crew will host a series of functions on board with civic dignitaries, while crew members will visit a number of affiliate organisations in County Durham.

But the highlight for almost 200 of the ship’s company will be a Freedom Parade in Durham, when county council chairman, councillor Dennis Morgan, will present a framed scroll by a local artist to mark the occasion, on Thursday.

The 18,500-tonne vessel will dock at Northumbrian Quay, North Shields, at about 6pm on Monday, before a host of civic receptions and calls take place both on the ship and ashore during Tuesday.

Crew members will take part in sports matches against opposition from Durham University in rugby, football, golf and the North- East art of welly wanging, on Wednesday.

Thursday’s Freedom Parade will see the ship’s company form up at The Racecourse, in Green Lane, Durham, from noon.

The guard and platoons will be inspected by civic dignitaries, hosted by Commodore Dickie Baum, the Naval Regional Commander for Northern England.

The parade will head along Old Elvet at 1.30pm, before arriving at Palace Green about 15 minutes later.

A musical display will be staged by the Band of the Royal Marines (Plymouth) before a Thanksgiving Service in Durham Cathedral, at 2.30pm.

Capt Burton said: “It’s an action-packed few days and there are opportunities for every single member of the crew to get involved with some aspect of the visit.

“All visits are enjoyable, but one to a ship’s affiliated area is even more so.

“We are very lucky to have a special relationship with an area which has shown great pride in HMS Bulwark and has always extended hospitality which is second to none.”

The ship will depart with an amphibious capability demonstration off the North- East coast next Friday, before returning to her base at Devonport, in Plymouth.