THE journey of the River Tees – from its source to the sea – is being celebrated as part of a striking new photography exhibition.

Darlington Association of Photographers spent a year documenting the river’s journey, from Cross Fell in the high North Pennines to Hartlepool Bay, in preparation for their new exhibition, Tees Heritage: A Diverse Anthology.

From a simple dales mining village in Teesdale, to the sprawling chemical works of Teesside, their work celebrates the diverse landscapes and architecture surrounding the water, and how the river has helped to shape the region.

The exhibition, which opens at Darlington’s Crown Street Art Gallery tomorrow (Monday, January 17), features 50 photographs created using both traditional and modern techniques.

Jim Lycett, the association’s co-founder, said: “We are pleased the gallery has invited us here as we are based in Darlington.

“There are 18 of us. We divided the river up into sections and covered it over a year in a sort of relay.”

Artist and curator Norma Kyle added: “I saw the exhibition at the Heritage Gallery, in Middlesbrough, and I thought it would be really nice to have this in Darlington as it is a Darlington-based group.

“I think that people that produce something of this quality should have a voice in Darlington.

“This is a community gallery and we are always looking for different people to exhibit here.”

The exhibition, which runs until February 5, also features two taster sessions: photographing to a theme with the Northern Counties Photographic Federation's president, Clifford Banks, on Saturday, January 24 from 2pm, and choosing images for display on Thursday, February 5 from 5pm.

For more information call 01325-462034.