A VILLAGE in County Durham has been unveiled as a national finalist in a prestigious competition.

Tanfield, near Stanley, was entered in the village category of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom competition and is joining Durham, Ponteland and Morpeth to represent the region.

Now in it’s 54th year, the nationwide competition pits rural villages, urban corners and city centres against one another across a range of criteria including community engagement, biodiversity and horticultural know how in 12 categories.

Alan Whitfield, part of the Tanfield in Bloom committee said: “We’ve worked our way up the medal placements in the regional competition and we’re over the moon to be a finalist in the national competition.”