THE founding chairman of development agency One NorthEast will receive an honorary degree from Durham University.

Dr John Bridge is one of three people who will receive the honour from vice-chancellor Sir Kenneth Calman next month.

Dr Bridge is an economist who has worked in the public, private and academic sectors for 35 years.

He is chairman of Endeavour SCH PLC, a private finance initiative consortium, and chaired One North-East until last year.

He is also a visiting professor at Durham Business School and Newcastle Business School.

David Crookes will receive a music degree. A university spokesman said: "For more than 40 years, David Crookes has dedicated a huge amount of his spare time and energy helping to organise music in the region."

He has been secretary of Durham Choral Society since 1963, a singer with Durham County Opera Group, North Yorkshire Chorus and St Ignatius Singers, Sunderland, and a singer and administrator with the Palatine Opera Group.

A doctorate will be given to Sir John Pattison, who studied at Barnard Castle School, County Durham.

From 1995 to 1999, he was chairman of the Government's advisory committee on BSE and CJD.