THE woman at the centre of a North-East county's plans for a greener future will meet Prime Minister Tony Blair tomorrow.

Maggie Bosanquet has been invited to a reception at Downing Street, where she will outline her role as Local Action 21 (LA21) partnership officer to Mr Blair.

And only days after meeting the premier, Ms Bosanquet will be one of the speakers at a sustainable development congress in Greece, which has been organised by the International Council for Environmental Initiatives.

The Downing Street reception is being held to give public recognition to the role played by those who promote sustainable development and improve the local environment.

More than 200 guests from across the country will attend, and Ms Bosanquet is one of only four from the North-East to be invited.

The Greece conference takes place in Athens from November 3 to 7, and Ms Bosanquet will join local government delegates from across the world.

She said: "Both events are a fantastic honour and they highlight how the important work we are carrying out in County Durham is being recognised on the international stage."

David Miller, the head of the county council's environmental resources department, said: "In Durham, we have wholeheartedly embraced the sustainability approach to everyday life and have already achieved considerable success.

"Both these honours reflect the hard work of Maggie and the LA21 team and they are thoroughly deserved."