A NORTH-EAST construction company has received an award.

Bowey Construction, of Newcastle, has been named as a Chartered Building Company.

The company, which employs more than 200 staff in the region, is one of only a handful of companies accorded the title.

David Pearson, vice-president of the Chartered Institute Of Building, presented a plaque to the management team. He praised the firm for its commitment to staff training, graduate recruitment and its apprenticeship scheme.

"We have enjoyed a very successful year since we completed our management buyout," said Len Clark, managing director.

"We are undertaking some major schemes at the moment including building the £20m Kings Academy on Teesside. We are predicting that our turnover will top £45m this year."

The Kings Academy, in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, a school part-funded by the North Eastern businessman Sir Peter Vardy, is to open to 1,250 children in September.