A SMALL rural tourist centre is aiming for national success after picking up an award in the region's "tourism Oscars".

Staff at Middleton-in-Teesdale Tourist Information Centre were celebrating yesterday after being named the best in the region at the Pride of Northumbria Awards ceremony.

The centre, which is run by Middleton Plus and which was only opened in April last year, has had a difficult time due to the fuel crisis and the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

But the centre is hoping the award, presented by the Northumbria Tourist Board, could mark a change in its fortunes.

Staff are even hoping to go on to win the Excellence in England Awards, which are due to be held later this year.

Judith Mashiter, who works at the centre alongside full-time staff Val Metcalf and Julie Robinson, and volunteer Joan Staley, said the news was great.

She said: "We were up against 40 other tourist centres so I think we did really well.

"It's been a tough year with visitor numbers in Teesdale down because of foot-and-mouth, but this could be start of a bright future."

Other winners to pick up awards at the ceremony, held at Matfen Hall Hotel, near Newcastle, were the Laing Art Gallery, in Newcastle, and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, in Washington.

Also celebrating success yesterday was Clow Beck House bed and breakfast, near Croft-on-Tees, Darlington, which was awarded a BT Connect to Tourism award at the ceremony.