Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay paid a visit to County Durham today, but admitted he only had chance to "scratch the surface" of the culture on offer across the county.
County Durham was the first stop for Lord Parkinson on his tour of locations shortlisted for a chance to be named City of Culture 2025. He will visit Bradford, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough in the coming days.
The purpose of the visit is to congratulate City of Culture hopefuls and wish them luck for the next stage of the competition, with the winner expected to be announced later this month. And today he seized the opportunity to experience some of the culture of County Durham, which included a trip to Locomotion railway museum in Shildon and a tour of Durham Cathedral.
