NORTH-EAST towns and cities are celebrating successes in this year's Northumbria in Bloom awards.

In this year's awards, announced this morning in South Shields, Durham clinched best small city, Stockton the best city category and Saltburn best coastal resort.

Earsdon, in Northumberland, is the overall winner, coming top of all the gold medal winners with the highest marks, and winner of the best village category.

The judges said it was an outstanding example of what volunteers can achieve for their community.

*MAJOR AWARD WINNERS: Best small village: Callerton (gold medal); Best village: Earsdon (gold medal); Best large village: Warkworth(gold medal); Best small town: Haltwhistle (silver gilt medal); Best town: Morpeth (gold medal); Best large town: Whickham (silver medal); Best small city: Durham (gold medal); Best city: Stockton on Tees(gold medal); Best large city: Sunderland(silver gilt medal); Best urban community: Rowlands Gill(silver gilt medal); Best coastal resort: Saltburn by the Sea(silver gilt medal);