A NEW war memorial formed the centrepiece of the Remembrance service at a County Durham market town.

Durham County Council leader Simon Henig was joined by former chairwoman, Cllr Linda Marshall, to look over the many wreaths after they had laid their own tributes at the new memorial in Chester-le-Street.

The Market Place was packed as members of the public turned out to pay their respects at the new monument.

It was unveiled last month after a three-year fund-raising campaign on the site of the now-demolished Civic Arch that was created as part of a revamp of the area.

The Chester-le-Street and District War Memorial Group was set up in 2011 and the memorial carries the names of more than 400 war dead who do not appear on others in the district.