DURHAM'S hidden treasures are coming into the limelight in the city's latest calendar.

The Images of Durham calendar, which has won awards and is appreciated around the world, is now in its 12th edition.

Photographer Royston Thomas has captured 12 landmarks that are only open to the public on annual Heritage Days.

The calendar, which was commissioned by Durham City Council's economic development team, has won praise from the likes of author Bill Bryson and Sir Peter Ustinov, Chancellor of Durham University.

The 2004 edition features North Road Methodist Chapel, Durham Town Hall, St Laurence Church, Pittington, Redhills Miners Hall, Croxdale Hall Chapel, Beaurepaire Manor House, Brancepeth Castle, Old Durham Gardens, Coxhoe Hall Wood, Sherburn Hospital, Vane Tempest Hall and Durham Castle.

The calendar has won three major national awards.

This year it beat Rolls-Royce and Kodak calendars in the hotly contested pictorial bespoke category of the National Business Calendars awards and was second only to Andrex in the overall awards.

The year before, Pirelli pipped it to the post in the photography category.

Durham City Council Council environmental services director John Jennings said: "In promoting the City of Durham to companies worldwide, we have to single out those aspects of Durham that set it apart from all other cities.

"The Images of Durham calendar enables us to do that with enormous style. Royston Thomas' photographs give you a glimpse of Durham's treasure trove of architectural gems that make the city such a distinctive place in which to live and work.''

The calendar is on sale - priced £6.50 - at Waterstones, the Cathedral Bookshop and the Tourist Information Centre, in Millennium Place.