A VILLAGE mayor came a cropper after offering her services as a charlady during a charity auction.

Coun Linda Maddison, Mayor of Sedgefield, ended up with two broken bones in her foot and a strapped-up ankle after slipping on the grass.

The accident happened during the village's annual Proms in the Park concert in the grounds of Ceddesfeld Hall.

Coun Maddison took part in the event to raise money for her two chosen causes, Alzheimer's Disease and the elderly of the village.

She said: "I did my opening speech and everything went well, then a couple of hours later I got dressed up as a charlady to raise money for the Mayor's charity.

"I said I would offer three hours of housework to the highest bidder and I got £105, which was very good.

"I was just getting prepared to go back on the stage to do the closing speech, but the grass had got wet with dew and I just slipped and went down."

Coun Maddison was attended by members of the village's First Responder scheme before being taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, where she received treatment for two broken bones and stretched ligaments.

Unfortunately the man who bid for Coun Maddison's services is going to have to wait a little longer.

She said: "He's going to have to wait a bit. The town clerk has written to him to explain that it will be honoured, but it might take a little bit longer than he thought."

The concert itself was a sell out, with more than 500 people attending in glorious sunshine.

Organised by volunteers of Sedgefield Community Association, with some financial support from Sedgefield town and borough councils, the event is set to become one of the highlights of the village calendar.