YOUNGSTERS who have excellent school attendance records are to be rewarded by Stockton Borough Council at a celebration at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, on Tuesday, July 8.

Certificates will be presented to children from Stockton and Thornaby who have achieved 100, 99 and 98 per cent attendance, and those who have attended school under exceptional circumstances. One of them will have the chance to be a Middlesbrough Football Club mascot.

CLASSIC DUO: Lithuanian cellist Mindaugas Backus and pianist Marija Dzenkauskaite will give a performance for children at Coatham Church of England Primary School, Redcar, before giving a concert at the Sir William Turner's Almshouses, Kirkleatham, on Thursday, July 10.

AWARD NOMINATION: Gold medal-winning gymnast Caroline Jennison, 22, from Eston, Middlesbrough, has been nominated for an award at this year's inaugural North-East English Federation of Disability Sports Organisations Sports Achievements Awards, sponsored by npower.

ART CLASSES: Middles-brough Art Gallery is joining forces with the town's Archibald Primary School to celebrate national Children's Art Day on Thursday, July 3. Pupils will be able to work with photographer Jamie McDonald and artist Andy Broadwick.

DRIVERS WARNED: Resurf-acing work is to be carried out in Fairfield Road, Stockton, between Fairfield Close and Orchard Road, for two to three days this week. Traffic lights will be in operation during off-peak hours.

TRUE COLOURS: Staff at the OC5 call centre, Wilton, raised £267 for the Make a Child Smile campaign after reporting for work dressed in England shirts and other patriotic clothing. The event coincided with England's match against Slovakia.

KITCHEN FIRE: A kitchen was wrecked by fire at a house in Thirsk Grove, Hartlepool, at the weekend. There was 30 per cent fire damage to the room and 50 per cent heat and smoke damage. Smoke affected four other rooms.

CYCLE RUN: A group of 15 workers from Pizza Hut, Teesside Park, Middlesbrough, will cycle to Whitby and back next Monday to raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation.

MAINS WORK: Transco is carrying out mains replacement work on the A139 Norton Road, to the north of Norton Avenue, Norton, Stockton, from today. The work will include lane closures.