NURSING home staff and residents were celebrating yesterday after being presented with the Investors in People award.

Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster visited Howlish Hall Nursing Home, in Howlish, near Coundon, to present the award.

It took four months of hard work for the home to achieve all the standards needed to achieve the accolade.

Iris Hillery, from Investors in People, said: "They have achieved this through the Business Link Building a Better Business programme and have done so in record time.

"It really shows their commitment to training and developing excellence in care. They have got high standards and it really shows."

Joyce Spenseley, manager of the 36-bed home, said: "We are very pleased to have the award and are very proud of the staff. They have worked extremely hard and we could not have done it without them."