TOURISM chiefs were angry yesterday after their area, which they regard as one of the finest in Britain, was left out of a Government-funded holiday guide map.

There is no mention of Teesdale or its main town of Barnard Castle, in County Durham, on the map, which highlights most major places in the North-East.

Also omitted are all of the dale's tourist attractions, including Bowes Museum, High Force waterfall and Raby Castle, which all attract thousands of people every year.

The map is published along with the Enjoy England Holiday Planner 2005, which is produced by VisitBritain, a Government-backed promotion group based in London.

Teesdale District Council chairman Charles Anderson said: "This is scandalous. How can they not show our district, with all its superb attractions, which compare favourably with those in any other area?

"We will not accept this at all. We will be taking some action to have it put right.

"The council is fully committed to boosting tourism in this beautiful area."

Bill Oldfield, the chairman of Teesdale Marketing, which was set up to boost tourism and jobs in the district, said: "I am most disappointed about this bad omission and am writing to VisitBritain to complain.

"It is sad to know that Teesdale, which has some of the finest scenery and attractions in Britain, does not get a mention on the map."

Mr Oldfield was appointed three months ago to development agency One North East's tourism advisory board, and said he would do all he could to ensure the omission was not repeated.

A VisitBritain spokesman said: "This map is meant to represent the whole North-East, and we could not include every district and attraction.

"But in the holiday planner itself, the Bowes Museum and Raby Castle are both mentioned."

Beamish Museum is included, along with towns such as Sedgefield, Darlington, Middlesbrough, Morpeth, in Northumberland, and South Shields, in South Tyneside.