AN award-winning advice and information service has appointed a new manager.

Former building society mortgage manager Malcolm Chatham has taken over as manager of the Signpost centre in Crook, which has recently been granted the Legal Services Commission's Quality Mark.

He has plans to extend Signpost's services, which are reaching a growing number of people since the service moved from Hope Street to the Royal Corner a year ago.

Eddie Murphy, chairman of the charity's board of trustees, said: "When we were established in 1997 we saw 300 clients in the first year. In 2003 we saw over 2,800 and helped them to obtain an additional £260,000 in state benefits. The current year is running at still higher levels."