A PARLIAMENTARY candidate who led the call for Yorkshire signs to be installed south of the river Tees in Yarm and Thornaby has said she would also help any campaign to install Welcome to Durham signs on the north side of the Tees.

Louise Baldock, Labour?s candidate for Stockton South, made clear that she didn?t want to actually replace existing signs marking the borders to Stockton Borough Council.

However, she said there have been offers to pay for and erect Yorkshire signs to the south of the Tees at Yarm Bridge, the Victoria Bridge at Thornaby and the A19 bridge.

Ms Baldock explained that the Yorkshire Ridings Association and Yorkshire Boundaries Association had already been in touch to express its interest in installing the signs.

Now the politician, who grew up in Yarm, said she would be prepared to try and find organisations who might install similar signs on the Durham side of the Tees if there was any interest.

She said: ?Do the people north of the Tees have the same passion for Durham as those on the south side have for Yorkshire? Should I be identifying Durham societies and seeking funding for signs saying, This is the Ancient County of Durham??

Ms Baldock steered clear of the various rows between some people in the Yarm area and Stockton Borough Council which led to a recent 'Yarm for Yorkshire' referendum in that town.

People in Yarm have been annoyed by a number of issues including the introduction of pay and display parking on Yarm High Street and the number of housing developments which have been approved for the area.

In last month's poll, nearly 90 per cent of the 24 per cent of people who voted wanted to leave Stockton council and join Hambleton and North Yorkshire. The issue of what, if any, further action should be taken will be discussed by Yarm Town Council.