THE search is launched today for the Local Heroes of 2001 - as The Northern Echo announces the biggest celebration of grass roots sport ever staged in the North-East.

The Local Heroes Awards 2001 is going to be the event of the year for all those who play sport for the sheer love of it.

It is the one night of the year when richly-rewarded professional sportsmen and women make way for those who compete for no financial gain but who deserve to see their names up in lights.

The Northern Echo has teamed up with Darlington Building Society and Century FM to make sure that the second Local Heroes Awards night is an unfortgettable occasion.

And a host of other prominent companies - Orange; Dutton Forshaw Landrover, Stockton; Simon Bailes Peugeot; JW Wood; and Sherwoods, Vauxhall of Darlington - have come on board to help us give the stars of grass roots sport a night they will remember for ever.

Those who were at the inaugural event at Darlington Football Club last year enjoyed a fantastic, emotional night, and this year's event will build on that solid foundation.

The Local Heroes Awards 2001 will be staged before an audience of hundreds on the evening of November 22 at the prestigious Tall Trees Hotel near Yarm.

The evening will be compered by Peter Barron, Editor of The Northern Echo, and Paul "Goffy" Gough from Century FM will chair a fun-packed celebrity version of A Sporting Question.

There will also be a four-course meal and an auction to raise valuable funds for grass roots sport.

But we need your help to make the night go with a bang. We need to know the names of those who deserve official recognition at the biggest awards night in the world of grass roots sport.

Inside today's Local Heroes supplement we tell you how you can nominate someone for one of our prestigious awards.

It doesn't matter what sport they play - it can be anything from football to quoits; from darts to dominoes; from bowls to badminton.

We just want to know who has earned the right to be a Local Hero of 2001 for their dedication, commitment, work behind the scenes, or sheer weight of personality.

To give you an idea of the kind of people we're looking for, the roll of honour from last year is published inside today's Local Heroes supplement.

The honours were led by Harrogate-based soldier Steven Grey, who showed remarkable courage to recover from breaking his back in three places to become a European power-lifting champion.

Other winners included Richard Lawson who won the under-16 special achievement category. Richard, who has haemophilia - a severe bleeding disorder which usually prevents boys from actively participating in sport - gained a black belt in taisudo.

They were among the Local Heroes of 2000. Who will be the Local Heroes of 2001?

It's up to you.

l See pages 7, 8, 9 and 10 to find out how you can be a part of the Local Heroes Awards 2001