THE controversial re-naming of Teesside International Airport took a fresh twist last night when councillors in Redcar rejected the proposed new name.

At Redcar and Cleveland council's cabinet meeting, eight members voted to keep the existing name, with only two supporting the change to Durham Tees Valley.

Councillor Eric Empson, chairman of the cabinet, said: "The general feeling was that they would have liked to have kept Teesside.

"When they were told the door was closed on any alternative name, that upset a lot of people.

"Personally, I feel that with Middlesbrough eventually becoming a city we could end up in the ridiculous situation where an airport on the doorstep of Middlesbrough is named after a city 20 miles down the road."

Councillors in the borough disagreed with the new name in an informal vote last week. Before last night's meeting, chief executive Colin Moore urged cabinet members to reconsider their decision.

Redcar and Cleveland is one of six local authorities with shares in the airport. Darlington council, which has the most shares, and Stockton council have both backed the name change.

Durham County Council, and Middlesbrough and Hartlepool councils have yet to decide.