THE teams which competed at Durham County Cricket Club's International Test Match Series last year are being celebrated in a range of colourful banners.

Fifteen cricket banners, produced last year by various community groups and schools, have gone on display at the Chester-le-Street Civic Centre.

Council arts actitivities assistant Sally Dixon said: "The main focus of the project was to create 15 medium-scale banners, with artists Nicola Balfour and David Daniells helping schools and community groups in designing and making each banner.

"Each banner represents the groups taking part, as well as the countries which competed in cricket matches at the Riverside Cricket Grounds last year."

Ms Dixon said more than 200 people had taken part in workshops and the creation of the banners.

Among the community groups involved were Empower 2, Durham County Council's daycare centre for adults with learning disabilities, Chester-le-Street's Society of Disabled Artists and ME North-East's Young People's Group. Eight schools from throughout the district also took part.

The banners will be on display until the end of March. They will then go to the Riverside for the opening of the new cricket season.