THE shortlist has been announced for The Northern Echo's community environment competition.

Yet again, many excellent projects were entered for the annual competition, which is sponsored by regional development agency One NorthEast.

Making A Difference honours people who are trying to improve their environment and the entries represent the efforts of thousands of people involved in projects ranging from creating sensory gardens to crime prevention schemes.

Three projects have been shortlisted for visits by a judging panel on Monday, September 23. They are:

* Page Bank Wildlife Group, comprising people living in the community near Spennymoor in County Durham.

Page Bank was created in 1830 for local pitmen but the pit closed in the 1930s and the main village was demolished by 1983. However, there remain a number of houses on the site and residents, backed by Durham Bird Club, are involved in projects including creating wildlife areas, planting hedgerows and drawing up an educational programme for youngsters

* There were two excellent Hartlepool entries and the judges have selected Brougham Area Residents' Association (Bara), which has transformed Perth Street through flower planting, involving local children and invigorating the community

* St John's Chapel Primary School, in the Weardale village, has created a community garden. The culmination of four years of work by staff, pupils and supporters of the school, backed by local people, the garden is on the site of the demolished school kitchen buildings.

Competition administrator John Dean said: "We have had some absolutely superb entries this year and choosing just three for the shortlist was extremely difficult.

"In the end there were seven or eight schemes battling for the final place.

"I think this was probably the best quality of entry we have received in four years of Making A Difference and the standard only goes to emphasise how many people are determined to improve the areas in which they live."