OPERA star Graeme Danby has helped raise £100,000 for a children's charity.

Mr Danby, the principal bass for the English National Opera, was born in Consett, County Durham, and is now based in London.

He makes several trips back to the region each year for fundraising concerts to support the NSPCC.

This year, his work for the charity in the North-East, aided by his wife, soprano Valerie Reed, raised more than £100,000.

To commemorate his achievement, Mr Danby was presented with a painting during his recent Newcastle Audi and Tyneside Audi Proms Concert at the Baltic arts centre, in Gateshead.

Dennis Clarke, from the NSPCC, said: "We would like to thank Graeme for his work on behalf of the charity.

"We would also like to thank Tyneside Audi and Newcastle Audi for their support by sponsoring many of Graeme's fundraising concerts."

Mr Danby has started working towards his next £100,000 for the NSPCC, by performing to an audience of almost 2,700 people at Durham County Cricket Ground, in Chester-le-Street, on July 31.