PUBS, bars and nightclubs in several areas of the North-East are among the country's best for food hygiene, a study has revealed.

Middlesbrough, with 106 such establishments, and Darlington, which has 111, have emerged as the areas with the first and third highest proportion of establishments awarded with 'very good' ratings under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme out of 356 areas across England and Wales.

Hartlepool was placed fourth on a table for pubs, bars and nightclubs rated either 'good' or 'very good', with more than 98 per cent of its 109 establishments winning the top ratings through local authority inspections.

Other districts with more than 90 per cent handed the top two ratings include Newcastle and Durham and the North Yorkshire districts of Harrogate and Scarborough, according to the statistics compiled by Lovemyvouchers.co.uk

Richmondshire, Redcar and Cleveland, York, Stockton, Gateshead, Hambleton and Ryedale all have between 80 and 90 per cent of pubs, bars and nightclubs with 'good' or 'very good' food hygiene ratings.

Sunderland, which has 258 such establishments, was found to be the worst performing district in the North-East and North Yorkshire, with just 67 per cent winning the best two grades, meaning it was placed 336th on the table.