CHESTER-le-Street Community Association is celebrating after winning a top award for community centres.

Its building, in Newcastle Bank, scooped the premier award in the Durham County Federation of Community Organisations' centre of the year competition.

The association has been in existence since 1963 and is used by a wide range of groups as well as outside organisations.

The centre was given a revamp two years ago with £92,000 from the National Lottery, which included extensions at the front and back.

The association has won the award in 1995 and 1996 and also won the community centre of the year category twice. Chairman Bill Stephenson said: "We are proud that it has won this award for the third time."

A spokeswoman for the federation said the judges were impressed by the way the association has maximised space in the centre and also the fund-raising efforts of volunteers.

Community centre of the year went to Trimdon Grange Community Association whose "enthusiastic and forward-thinking management committee has transformed a difficult building into a modern community centre".

The personality of the year award went to Alan Smart, a founder of Sedgefield Community Association, who helps behind the bar of the social club the association has run for 25 years. Pelton Fell Community Association won the federation's carpet bowls competition.