BBC Rewind. John Noakes climbs mast of HMS Ganges at Shotley Gate

Archive footage from 1978 showed Blue Peter presenter John Noakes climbing to the top of tall ship

He was taking part in a mast-manning ceremony with naval cadets on the HMS Ganges training base in Shotley Gate.

The film shows him climbing to the top of the 127-foot mast before the cadets slide down the ropes back to the ground.

HMS Ganges was established as a Royal Naval Training Establishment at Shotley in 1905 and remained in use until 1976.

Last year the mast was put back in position after a lengthy restoration.

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