COMPETITORS from day centres across County Durham vied for honours on the sports field in what has become an annual fixture.

More than 150 sportsmen and women representing ten centres for adults with learning disabilities competed in a range of events at Chester-le-Street's Riverside complex.

Participants, aged 18-upwards, gave their all in sprints, javelin, relay, tug of war and wheelchair race categories.

Following a hard fought competition, it was the team from the Durham Centre, at Aykley Heads, who emerged triumphant. They beat the Teesdale Centre from Barnard Castle and the Auckland Gate Centre, from Bishop Auckland, into second and third places.

Dawn Hirst of the county council's County Durham Care, said it was a fun day which all the clients taking part look forward to each year.

After the event, programme medals were presented to the winning athletes by members of the county-wide Sports and Social Committee.

There was an added thrill for some competitors as stars of the Newcastle United first team squad, who train at the Riverside, chatted and signed autographs at the end of their session.