Lighthouse to undergo £250,000 repairs

Herd Groyne lighthouse was built in 1882

A historic lighthouse is to undergo £250,000 worth of maintenance in the coming months.

Work to restore, paint and clean Herd Groyne lighthouse in South Shields, South Tyneside, will begin on 17 June.

Herd Groyne has featured on clothing by outdoor brand Barbour and its charity arm, The Barbour Foundation, has donated £100,000 to the lighthouse's restoration.

Port of Tyne, which operates the lighthouse, said the donation had allowed it to begin work "earlier than would have been possible without it".

Herd Groyne sits at the mouth of the River Tyne and, despite being built in 1882, is still operational today.

The repair work will be carried out by contractors TIS Ltd and is expected to take 12 weeks to complete.

Barbour clothing has used the lighthouse to represent its South Shields heritage

Last month, temporary handrails were installed near to the lighthouse while repairs to the pavement were carried out, according to Port of Tyne.

The damage was caused in October last year during Storm Babet.

The Barbour Foundation's objectives range from helping North East residents who suffer from hardship or distress, to promoting research into the cause and treatment of chronic diseases.

The charity also works to protect and preserve buildings that are of special environmental, historical or architectural interest.

Herd Groyne has featured on Barbour clothing since the company's first catalogue in 1908.

Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour said: "When we heard about the repairs that the Herd Groyne needed, we wanted to help and we are delighted that through The Barbour Foundation, we've been able to contribute towards the restoration to ensure that the Herd Groyne can continue to guide ships into the River Tyne for many years to come."