TEN North-East athletes are to be honoured at an awards ceremony marking their glittering achievements at the recent Special Olympic National Games.

The ten-strong team, who all attend County Durham Care's day care services for adults with learning disabilities, scooped nine gold, four silver and four bronze medals between them, as well as five ribbons for fourth places.

The games, held in Portsmouth last month, attracted athletes from all over the country and the efforts of the Durham entrants earned high praise.

The successful competitors will be guests of Durham County Council chairman, Alan Fenwick, at County Hall, Durham on Friday.

Family and friends, staff, sports representatives and councillors will watch as the athletes receive certificates and token gifts.

The medal winners include Ian Allen, of the Auckland Gate Centre, Wear Valley, Neil Curtis, of the Durham Centre, Brian Devine, of the Bracken Hill Unit, Easington, Joanne Glennie, of the Helping Hands unit, Wear Valley, Phillip Holmes, of the Future Horizons Centre, Derwentside, Pamela Lunn, of the Harmire Unit, in the Dales, David Richardson, of the Shinwell Centre, Easington, Michael Robson, of the Helping Hands Centre, Paul Summerson from the Empower 2 Centre, in Durham and Chester-le-Street, and John Swainson, of the Shinwell Centre.