A Darlington firm of solicitors is sponsoring this year's Mayor's Ball in the town.

Latimer Hinks is supporting the event, which raises money for the mayor's chosen charities, to the tune of £2,000.

This year, the event is titled Spirit of the Caribbean and is in aid of voluntary groups raising funds to help research into Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.

Individual tickets or tables are still available for the event, at the Dolphin Centre, in Darlington, on October 15.

Students from Darlington College of Technology took part in a competition to design publicity material.

The Mayor of Darlington, Roderick Francis, and Latimer Hinks consultant David Brown were the judges of the competition, which was won by 18-year-old student Sarah Clare.

This is the second successive year that Latimer Hinks has sponsored the Mayor's Ball.

Mr Brown said: "The Mayor's Ball is always an excellent occasion and it's an event we were only too happy to support, particularly as two such worthy causes will be the beneficiaries of the money raised."

"It's important that the business community of the town gets behind events like this, and I would urge companies to come forward to support what I'm sure will be a tremendous evening."

Latimer Hinks also raised £8,000 at its own charity ball at Redworth Hall earlier this summer, for the County Durham Foundation and the Darlington Association for Disability.

For more information on tickets for the Mayor's Ball, call (01325) 387732.