THE latest food store in Darlington opened yesterday - and received the seal of approval from the town's mayor.

The Lidl store, in Yarm Road, opened its doors to the eager public at 8am - and was officially opened an hour later by Councillor Stella Robson, the Mayor of Darlington.

The store has 113 parking spaces, including 48 to the front. Planning permission was granted by Darlington Borough Council in August last year.

Yesterday, Lidl managers told The Northern Echo they were excited at the latest store in their group to open.

A spokesman said: "We have been wanting to build a store in Darlington for many years.

"Lidl will stimulate the local economy, encourage competitive pricing with other major supermarkets and create jobs."