THE North-East's first national museum is strengthening its place on the global tourism map by being nominated for an international award.

Locomotion: The National Railway Museum, in Shildon, is now in the running for the European Museum of the Year Award (Emya).

The award scheme, administered by the European Museum Forum, aims to recognise excellence in established modernised museums and new museums - the category in which Locomotion has been nominated.

More than 60 museums from across the continent have been selected and two Emya judges are expected to visit Locomotion, which opened last September, next weekend.

But museum bosses will have a long wait until they discover if they have been successful as a shortlist of about ten museums is unlikely to be finalised until the end of this year.

The nomination for Locomotion comes on the back of its first major accolade - The Museums and Heritage Show Award for permanent exhibition.

The £11m venture's close consultation with the community, its sustainability, and efforts to engage people of all ages in the area's railway story impressed award judges.

Museum manager George Muirhead said: "It is a fantastic achievement to receive this award.

"It acknowledges the hard work that has gone into creating such a groundbreaking partnership venture, as that which has been pioneered by Sedgefield Borough Council and the National Railway Museum."

The attraction narrowly missed out on The Gulbenkian Prize for UK Museum of the Year after getting down to the final four.

Mr Muirhead said: "Locomotion is just at the beginning of its life and we have much more still to do, so to have come this far in such a short space of time is tremendously promising.

"I'd like to thank all those involved in helping the museum build its reputation to such a high standard and to reiterate that we should not feel disheartened but thrilled to have gained the acknowledgment that Locomotion is an exceptional achievement."