The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Sunderland to celebrate the city’s vibrant arts scene and tour a new bridge.

William and Kate will visit the Fire Station, one of Sunderland’s most iconic buildings, recently converted into a music and arts hub.

The royal couple are expected to go on a short walkabout outside the building before enjoying a colourful performance of music, dance and theatre from local children and young people inside, and will end their visit by officially opening the Fire Station.

Later the Duke and Duchess will travel to see the Northern Spire, an ambitious and striking new bridge over the River Wear, due to open this Spring.

The 1,550-tonne pylon structure is twice as high as Nelson’s Column and taller than Big Ben’s clock tower.

As a Sunderland City Council project, Northern Spire is a key part of a wider transport plan to improve links between the Port of Sunderland and the city centre with the A19.

William and Kate will meet local children whose generation will benefit from the bridge in the future, before officially crossing the bridge and meeting the engineers and construction workers who have made the project a reality.