THE region's unsung heroes of industry were celebrated at a special awards evening.

Organised by the County Durham Learning and Skills Council the event, at Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield, celebrated individual tales of achievement.

Nominations were put forward by the four regional adult education networks - further education colleges, Local Education Authority, Workers' Educational Association and community learning organisations.

Each network held its own award ceremony during Adult Learners' Week, in the third week of May, and these winners were put forward for nomination.

Winners of the county-wide awards were then selected by County Durham Learning and Skills Council.

There were ten individual winners and three group winners. The awards were presented with their awards by Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo.

Group winners were: Wadd-ington Street Spanish Group, the Family Learning Group at St Joseph's Primary, Gilesgate, Durham, and Newbiggin and District Village Hall.

Individual winners were Kathy Buck, Sharon Jackson, Malcolm Collins, Douglas Johnson, Iris Holmes, Margaret Archer, George White, Susan Graham, Doreen Graham and David Metcalfe.

The first awards were organised by County Durham Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) in 1997, which staged four award ceremonies before its closure. In 2001, the TEC was replaced by the Learning and Skills Council.