BRINKBURN Dene Bowls Club explained they worked as a team to make sure they won the race to become winners of The Northern Echo's Grand Giveaway competition.

Over several weeks special tokens were printed in the paper and the Darlington-based bowls club collected more than any other of the region's sports teams who took part.

Brinkburn Dene gathered a massive 905 tokens to win the £500 first place prize in the Echo's competition, which was in association with the passionate people, passionate places, North-East England campaign.

The club's secretary Raymond Bower revealed Brinkburn's success was very much a team effort and admitted he was relieved to finally have the funds to buy the club some much-needed lockers.

He said: "We haven't had any lockers for about four or five years now, not since the council demolished our bowls pavilion. At the moment we have a social pavilion which we go too when we can't play bowls during the winter.

"But we've desperately needed new lockers because all of the old men have had to carry their bowls backwards and forwards from home to the club.

"All the clubs we share with did their bit though in helping with the tokens."

There are ten teams sharing the club with the Dene and the Dene Vets: Northgate, Hopetown, Cockerton and JUC all play there.

"There's more clubs play here than any other place in town," added Raymond. We asked if they would chip in and help us and they all did very well. So everyone benefits."

"We don't know how many lockers we can buy yet. But they will come in handy so the teams can keep their equipment separated from each others."

Willington Under-14s football team took second place and claimed a £250 prize for equipment going towards the club's development.

Durham Tigers Rugby Club, Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club, Heighington Under-10s Football Club, Durham City RFC Under-10s and Darlington Amateur Swimming Club Competition Divers and Swimmers all came third and pick up £50 each.