River Hunters star Gary Bankhead lined up for 'fascinating' talk in Sunderland

A 123-year-old Sunderland society has lined up a VIP speaker for its new season of illustrated talks.

Gary Bankhead, who has starred on the Sky History TV series River Hunters, has been lined up the first talk in the new series held by Sunderland Antiquarian Society.

Gary will dive into the facts

He will speak on Tuesday, October 17 on the topic of Diving Into Durham - just years after he dived to the bottom of the River Wear and found hundreds of artefacts.

He said in 2014: " These objects represent a direct link to the people who once lived and died in the City of Durham and its immediate hinterland."

Now he's set to open the Antiquarian programme and the society's secretary Philip Curtis said: "

Gary is the country's leading underwater archaeologist.

"He has carried our research work on thousands of items recovered from the River Wear dating from Medieval times right through to the twentieth century.

'A fascinating evening'

"He also appears regularly alongside Rick Edwards in presenting the successful Sky History TV series River Hunters.

"It really should be a fascinating evening."

Admission, payable on the door, is £2 for members and £3 for non-members.

The talk will be given in the Bethany Hall in the Bede Centre in Ryhope Road opposite the society's Heritage Centre.

123 years of history and counting

Philip added: "It starts at 7.30pm and doors open at 6.40pm. All are welcome. There is disabled access."

The society, which was founded in 1900, holds extensive archives which were amassed and donated by the people of Sunderland.

To find out more, interested people should visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website which is at http://www.sunderland-antiquarians.org

You could also get along to its Heritage Centre which is open in Douro Terrace on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9.30am to 12pm.

And to apply to become a member, email [email protected]