LG Philips Displays has hit a manufacturing milestone at its Durham plant.

Less than two years after announcing the launch of its 21in "real flat" colour television tube the company, which produces television and computer monitor tubes has produced and sold a million of them.

Demand has soared from television manufacturers and it has achieved more than 30 per cent of the market share in digital and interactive TV.

The millionth tube rolled off the production line this week at the plant on the Belmont Industrial Estate and was sent to Philips Consumer Electronics in Kwidzyn in Poland.

It will be installed in a television set and returned to Durham for donation to a local school chosen by representatives of the trade union Amicus.

David Coppock, plant director, said: "The production of the millionth tube in such a short space of time is testament, once again, to the incredible spirit of the people in our plant.

"From the first steps of development through performance and quality improvements, to meeting customer expectations, the team here has proved it is capable of delivering the right results in this demanding market."