THE shortlist has been announced for The Northern Echo's community environment competition.

For the first time in Making a Difference's six-year history, four projects have been selected for a visit by the judging panel on September 8.

The schemes are:

* The Saltburn 500 Club, which has helped to revitalise the east Cleveland community with a range of schemes and was shortlisted in the first competition.

* South Bank Residents' Association, on Teesside, which has played a key part in the revival of the area against great odds, including attacks from local youths and an arson attack on its headquarters.

* Harrowgate Hill Junior School, in Thompson Street West, Darlington, a runner-up last year and selected again for the variety of its environmental projects.

* Friends of Senior Citizens, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, which has breathed new life into the community centre in Neville Parade.

Making A Difference honours those trying to improve the environment.

This year, the competition was open to volunteers in sponsor One NorthEast's area of the Tees Valley, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.

The judging panel includes freelance journalist John Dean, a regular contributor to The Northern Echo, Durham Wildlife Trust chief executive Richard Wood and Phil Hughes, of One NorthEast.

Mr Dean said: "Every year the quality of entries gets better. Once again, choosing the shortlist was very difficult and in the end we had to expand it to four schemes to reflect the quality of the entries.

"A number of those that missed out were very close indeed. It goes to show that many people are determined to improve areas they live in. They are a credit to the region."