Teesside International Airport's own consultative committee has qualms about changing its name - especially to Durham-Tees Valley.

Peel Holdings, which has promised to invest £20m in the expansion of the airport, wants to re-brand it under a name which will make it more recognisable in Europe.

Coun Frances Greenwell of Hambleton District Council, asked on Wednesday: "Why change the name. Some people think that it is quite ludicrous.

"Would it not be better to build up Teesside and publicise it to a certain degree rather than start from scratch and attract ridicule."

Hugh Lang, airport managing director, put his head in his hands when chairman, Coun Dave Lyonette of Darlington, agreed: "It is a ridiculous name. Our airport is in Darlington. I am happy with Tees Valley but not with Durham."

"No decision has been made at this stage," insisted Mr Lang, who said he had agonised over the change. "It is just speculation. No application has been made to the shareholders yet."

He blamed some airlines for refusing to introduce new destinations until Teesside was renamed and said East Midlands had the same problem, with some operators already calling it Nottingham Airport.

Coun Terry Bean of Stockton Council said he understood the commercial reasons behind the name change, but pointed out that stakeholders, Redcar and Cleveland and Hartlepool councils were unlikely to consider themselves part of the Tees Valley.

He appreciated a fear that if it was named Durham Tees Valley, it might soon become just Durham, so proposed Tees Valley Durham instead.

The clerk, David Cosgrove, from Hartlepool Council, said he had had more conversations about the airport in the past two weeks than in the previous two years.

At present local people had a strong sense of ownership of the airport, but it was a fact that Teesside and not even Tees Valley appeared on any map.

Referring to a suggestion that James Cook airport would be a good choice, he pointed out: "He was known as an Englishman who went out and discovered Australia, not for where he came from."

Earlier this week, a spokesman for the North-East Chamber of Commerce said a lot of business people were concerned over the proposed Durham Tees Valley name.

Ray Mallon, Mayor of Middlesbrough, described it as "boring."

* Ironically Newcastle Airport re-branded itself on Tuesday as Newcastle International Airport and announced a £10m investment in coming months, including a £7m terminal building expansion with more shops and food outlets.

It will become the first regional airport offering services to South Africa next year with other long haul routes to Toronto, Dubai and Orlando.