Darlington insurance worker Carrianne Green is the new Miss Durham.

Miss Green, 20, triumphed in the competition at Sedgefield Racecourse last week.

She was first voted favourite in a text vote, then finished strongly to impress the eight judges on the night.

She said: "I entered as a bit of a laugh. I thought it would be a bit of fun to see how far I could get. I couldn't believe it when I got a phone call inviting me to the audition.

"Then I found out on my birthday I was in the last 20.

"I'm really pleased to have won but don't know what to say about it. It will be an honour to represent the area I have lived in all of my life."

She will represent County Durham in the Miss England contest to be held in Liverpool in summer.

Performing arts student Rachel Wilkinson, 20, of Haswell, was second and Minty Edmondson, a 20-year-old art and design student, from Darlington, was third.