TOURISM chiefs in Teesdale were celebrating this week after the area brought home three gold and three bronze prizes at the One NorthEast Tourism Awards.

Teesdale Marketing, a non-profit organisation which promotes the area, left the awards ceremony in Newcastle on Tuesday night with two gold awards.

Its Discover Teesdale project won the top prize in the Business Tourism Award while Barnard Castle Farmers' Market won in the Taste of England Award category.

Raby Castle, near Staindrop also won gold in the Small Visitor Attraction category.

Catherine Turnbull, from Raby Castle, said: "Just to be shortlisted in the awards was a great achievement, but to win was fantastic. We were optimistic but its such a great honour to win gold among such great competition from across the region."

Miss Turnbull, as director of tourism for Teesdale Marketing, also picked up the award for Business Tourism, said: "I think the reason why the Discover Teesdale project won was because its all about business from across the area working together to attract people to Teesdale. These are people who have their own lives and jobs but still find time to help out."

Bill Oldfield, chairman of Teesdale Marketing said: "I think one of the best things about our organisation is the effective partnerships between ourselves and the likes of Teesdale District Council. Without this relationship between the private and public sector, what we've achieved wouldn't be possible.

"It's great that Teesdale as an area did so well, because it allows us to showcase to a regional audience what we have to offer."

The Foresters in Middleton-in-Teesdale won a bronze award in the Visitor Pub of the Year category, as did the Mill Granary at Ingleton in the Self Catering Holiday of the Year category and Barnard Castle Camping and Caravan Club Site in the Caravan Holiday Park of the Year section.

Neighbouring Weardale also did well at the awards. The Durham Dales Centre in Stanhope picked up a silver award in the Tourist Information Centre of the Year category and Alex Sawyer of Killhope Lead Mining Museum also won silver in the Outstanding Customer Service Award.

Ian Forbes, Killhope Lead Mining Museum manager said: "To gain a silver award for our customer services is certainly a feather in our cap. We were up against very tough competition."