A CURRY house has been named the best in the North-East.

Raj Bari in Yarm, near Stockton, has been named the best Indian restaurant in the North-East at the Asian and Curry Awards.

TV judge Gregg Wallace from BBC’s MasterChef presented the award to Salim Saddique and staff from the restaurant, and they will now go forward to compete for a national award in London next year.

The restaurant has won a number of awards since it opened almost 20 years ago, including this particular prize on a number of occasions.

“Our success is down to the secret recipes and our unique curries," said Mr Saddique.

“Customers have kept coming back over the 20 years - I always remember have one girl who I remember coming with her mum and dad and having a Chicken Korma and now she’s having Naga Chicken which is more spicy."

Mr Saddique said he can "never forget" when a customer's Mercedes Benz drove through the front of the Balti House almost 10 years ago.

The car narrowly missed staff working behind the bar when the crash happened.

Fire crews had to call on a structural engineer to assess the damage before they entered the premises or any attempt was made to free the car from the window.

"It is a very busy high street - every minute there are people with pushchairs going past.

"It could have been so much worse."

Mr Saddique hopes the restaurant will continue to go from strength to strength.

“It is expensive – the biggest costs are staff and business rates.

“We need the government to support small businesses and the high street as all owners are suffering."