ONE of the companies bidding for the region's newest commercial radio licence has announced its management team.

Durham FM is applying to run the station planned for Durham City and will be competing against Durham Local Radio (DLR), the consortium that includes Newsquest North-East, publisher of The Northern Echo and The Advertiser series.

Ofcom, the communications regulator, will invite applications this month.

The Durham FM board is chaired by the chairman of the Mercantile Building Society, John Anderson CBE, and includes New College Durham principal and chief executive John Widdowson, PR consultant Peter Jackson, a former business editor of The Journal newspaper, and Brenda Walker, co-owner of The Court Inn, in Durham.

It is believed the successful bidder will be chosen early next year and could be broadcasting before winter next year.

The transmission area has yet to be decided but is likely to include Chester-le-Street, Stanley, Consett and Bishop Auckland.

Durham FM is part of The Local Radio Company (TLRC), which operates Sunderland's Sun FM and Darlington's Alpha 103.2.

Its other directors include TLRC managing director radio John Sanderson, finance director Alistair MacKenzie and group development manager Brian Lister.

Durham FM has made two trial broadcasts, in December 2002 and in July last year.

Mr Anderson said: "It's tremendously exciting that Durham is to get its own radio station, something which it richly deserves and which it has not had for 30 years."