A DELEGATION from a Chinese city has paid a special visit to a Redbridge landmark.

The delegates from Xi'an, which is home to the world famous terracotta army, were visiting Valentines Mansion in Ilford as part of a tour of UK heritage sites to find out more about how they are protected.

Redbridge mayor Cllr Thomas Chan, who was present on the visit, said: “There were eight visitors and they are all officials working in Xi'an.

“Some are responsible for landscaping and some for relics. The only thing close to a relic in Redbridge is Valentines Mansion and its walled garden.”

They will be visiting other sites around London to find out about the process of “listing” sites of special historical and architectural interest.

Valentines Mansion was included in the tour as it has recently been at the centre of an £8.5million regeneration scheme, Cllr Chan said.

He added: “In China, they need to have listed status in order to protect various monuments.

“Otherwise, they're in danger of being knocked down to make way for skyscrapers.”

The delegates will also speak to the Heritage Lottery Fund and the English Heritage as part of their visit.

Nigel Burch, project manager at Valentines Mansion, said: “They'll also be speaking to the National Trust and going to the Royal Parks.

“The visit is specifically designed to enlighten them about heritage assets. Valentines Mansion was mentioned as being a particularly good example.”

The mansion, in the heart of Valentines Park, is about 300 years old, compared with Xi'an's terracotta army at nearly 2,000 years old.

The delegates will remain in the UK for the next three weeks and will then take their findings back to China in the hope of implementing them there.