A LUCKY Northern Echo reader has landed an early Christmas gift.

Douglas Nixon won a high-specification 40in LCD television by entering a competition run by the newspaper and supermarket company Aldi.

Mr Nixon, from Chester-le-Street, correctly answered a question about the location of the new Aldi store, which is in Watling Road, in Bishop Auckland, to win the prize.

The giveaway was held to celebrate the opening of the store last month, which is bigger and brighter than the former town centre store.