LOCAL authority workers who have clocked up 25 years of service have been rewarded by council chiefs.

Presentations were made to staff from Wear Valley District Council by deputy chairman Wilf Dobinson in a ceremony at Crook Civic Centre.

They went to assistant leisure and marketing director Dennis Nattress, administrator Lynn Furby, contracts supervisor Billy Gelson and cleaner Eileen Hutchinson. Wendy Holmes and Colin Rooney, were unable to attend.

Wear Valley District Council leader, Councillor Olive Brown, said: "They have given a lifetime of service to the council, for which we are extremely grateful.

"All our staff are going through a difficult time because this is a period of great change for the council, but they are rising to the challenge."

David Craggs, who heads the council's personnel department, said: "We are probably the biggest employer in the area, and we would like to think that we are a good employer. Many of our staff start at the bottom and work their way up into senior positions."