AN environmental fund set up by Durham Mayor George Wharton is better off following a fishing competition.

Chase the Butterfly, which was launched to support local environment and conservation schemes, shared £4,000 with the Third World water charity, WaterAid.

The money was raised by a competition, held at Northumbrian Water's Derwent Reservoir trout fishery.

Eight teams of five anglers took part in the contest, called Chase the Rainbow, competing for tackle prizes donated by Robert Keeney, of the Hexham shop Sporting Outdoors.

The winning team was the Northumbrian Water Rangers.

It was a successful day for senior ranger Clive Robson, of Stanhope, who caught the best bag of fish, weighing 11lb 6oz, and the biggest fish, a 3lb 10oz rainbow trout.