A major project to upgrade Roker Pier lighthouse means its beams can be seen up to 22 miles away.

Flashing once every five seconds, the brilliant white light provides a vital guide for vessels entering port or sailing along the coast.

And it is also environmentally friendly – using only 70 watts of power rather than the previous 1,600.

A refurbished foghorn, which sounds every 20 seconds, has also been installed by the company.

Designed and constructed by River Wear Commissioners' engineer, Henry Hay Wake, the Grade II-listed lighthouse was commissioned in 1903 and stands at the seaward end of the 2,880ft-long Roker Pier.

Its original cut and polished prismatic lens was removed in 1976 and is in storage at Sunderland Museum.

While the previous beacon (dating from 1976) used sealed beam lamps floating in a bath of mercury, the new unit is far more environmentally friendly.

Bert Frame, of Pelangi International, who made the new light, said: "On health and safety grounds, the port decided to replace it with a more energy efficient light, which does not use mercury to transfer power to the rotating lamp."

Wearing full protective equipment, engineers removed seven kilograms of hazardous mercury from the old pedestal.

High-tech equipment allows port control staff to remotely diagnose faults in the lighthouse and activate fog signals during poor visibility.

Modernisation of Roker lighthouse is the latest improvement to the Port of Sunderland's navigational aids, following previous upgrades to the Old North Pier's light pillar and fog signal, New South Pier beacon and red can buoy in the harbour entrance.