A DARLINGTON garage is celebrating being nominated for a national award after only two years of trading.

Staff from the family-run business, M-Tech Autocentre, was invited to the Workshop Magazine Awards in London on Monday, December 11.

The garage, on Progress Way, was nominated for Independent Garage of the Year and placed themselves in the top five for customer care out of 1,600 nominees.

Husband and wife, Mike and Tiffany Cox, along with their technician, Tom Raw, travelled to the ceremony where they received a certificate of recognition and got to meet ex-Formula One driver and event host Johnny Herbert.

Mrs Cox said: “We were over the moon and honoured to be nominated in the top five for customer care in the UK.

“This is a major achievement and acknowledgement of the hard work we have put into our business in the last 24 months.”

Mr Cox said: “It is overwhelming to be included in the elite companies of the motor trade at the awards ceremony with major support from the RAC team.”

Starting their business in 2015, the couple now have big plans for M-Tech’s future including the opening of a café.