Call centre staff do their bit: CALL centre staff put their skills to good use by manning the phones for a charity event.

A team of more than 200 at London Electricity's Doxford Park call centre, Sunderland, along with their families and friends, gave up their Saturday evening to take telephone pledges for Sport Relief. As one of the biggest call centres in the country taking part in the BBC-led event, it accepted pledges from 6.30pm to midnight. To keep the volunteers entertained, the company laid on board games in the reception area and organised a hook-a-duck stand, raffles, free food, a karaoke and a fundraising disco. Saturday's event followed London Electricity's involvement in the BBC's Comic Relief appeal for the past three years, in which they have taken about £1m in donations and handled more than 45,000 calls.

SALSA DANCING: Salsa dancing classes for improvers will be held at Chester-le-Street Community Centre on Mondays, between 6pm and 7pm, from next week. Beginners' salsa dancing class will be held on Wednesday evenings, from August 7. Each course costs £16.50 for six weeks. To enrol, call 0191-388 4752.

GAMES TICKETS: Asda has given two staff from its Washington store complimentary tickets to the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Eileen Watson and Leslie Card will also be treated to overnight accommodation in the city and dinner at the Asda marquee at the event.

COFFEE MORNING: A coffee morning will be held at Durham Town Hall, on Saturday, from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Admission is free. Proceeds will go to St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, near Durham.

ADVICE SESSIONS: Durham Citizens Advice Bureau is holding outreach sessions next week. They will be held on Monday, at Brandon House, Brandon, between 11am and noon; on Tuesday, at Bowburn Community Centre, from 11am to noon; and on Thursday, at Esh Winning Community Centre, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. People can drop in or call the appointment line on 0191-383 2885.

DANCE CLASSES: Two dance classes will be held at Framwellgate Moor Community Centre, Durham, tonight. A children's session takes place between 5.30pm and 6.30pm and an adults line dance class will be held from 6.30pm to 7.45pm.

GALA SIGNS: Durham City Council is seeking planning permission from its own development control committee to put non-illuminated signs on the south and west elevations of the Gala Theatre, part of the Millennium City complex.

CHARITY CASH: A charity line dance held at Durham Indoor Bowling Club raised £655 for breast cancer treatment at the city's University Hospital of North Durham. The organisers have thanked everyone who supported the event.

MARKET OPEN: The Durham Market Company says the city's indoor market will be open as usual today, from 9am to 5pm, despite a one-day strike by council workers that will close many council-run facilities.

HOMES PLAN: Durham City Council is being asked to grant outline planning permission for three detached homes to be built at Hillcrest, Potters Bank, Durham.

NEW DOORS: The W H Smith Group is seeking planning permission and listed building consent from Durham City Council to replace the frontage of its shop in Market Place, Durham, and install an automatic door