TWO North-East veterans of the world of news were the stars of the show at the 22nd North-East Press Awards.

The region's "face of television", Mike Neville, was presented with a Lifetime of Achievement Award after clocking up 40 years as a news presenter with both the BBC and Tyne Tees Television.

And the region's best-known newspaper journalist, The Northern Echo's Mike Amos, was named North-East Journalist of the Year for an unprecedented sixth time.

As The Northern Echo was named North-East Newspaper of the Year, the paper's most prolific columnist - writer of John North, At Your Service, Backtrack, Eating Owt, and Gadfly - was celebrated for his unique writing skills and ability to unearth stories from the grass roots.

The judges said: "His writing on sport, eating out, church life, and just about everything else shows that his notebook is never closed."

They described him as "an accomplished and indefatigable professional".

Mike, who was also named North-East Columnist of the Year, was presented with his awards by the BBC's chief news correspondent, Kate Adie, who paid warm tribute to the value of the regional press.

Mike Neville was presented with the Graeme Stanton Memorial Award by the North-East branch of the Society of Editors.

Branch chairman Peter Barron, Editor of The Northern Echo, said: "In making this Lifetime of Achievement Award, the society recognises the professionalism of a man who has delivered the news via our television screens in a unique way."

The 2002 Tom Cordner North-East Press Awards, sponsored by Transco, was compered by Tyne Tees Television sports presenter Roger Tames.

In naming The Northern Echo as North-East Newspaper of the Year, the judges said: "The region's press has again displayed great vigour and style, and for the overall winner, the judges looked for sustained all-round outstanding performance.

"They have selected an excellent ensemble of individual talent that adds up to more than the sum of the parts. The paper reflects organised teamwork in newsgathering, pictures, graphics, writing and presentation.

"Its strength comes both from experience and the new blood its brings into the profession.

"Here is a title that represents its region and its readers with a confidence that combines gravitas and oomph; broadsheet breadth and tabloid directness.

"Nationwide events and issues, from Royal Jubilee to battered wives, are covered with the authority of a national title, but it always keeps faith with its regional roots. This is Premier League journalism."

The North-East journalism roll of honour

Consumer Affairs - Jane Hall, The Journal; Business - James Marley, Evening Chronicle; Health - Julie Cush, Evening Chronicle (Highly Commended, Barry Nelson, The Northern Echo); Arts - Steve Pratt, The Northern Echo; Columnist - Mike Amos, The Northern Echo; Women - Christen Pears, The Northern Echo; Scoop of the Year - Bessie Robinson, The Northern Echo; Kate Adie Prize for Initiative in Journalism - John Corney, Sunderland Echo (Highly Commended, Gavin Engelbrecht and Stuart Mackintosh, The Northern Echo);

Overall design - Babette Decker, The Journal; Front Pages - Richard Davies, The Northern Echo;

Feature Writing - Christen Pears, The Northern Echo; Hard News - Angus Hoy, Evening Gazette; Sport - John Gibson, Evening Chronicle (Highly Commended, Mike Amos, The Northern Echo); Picture of the Year - Tim McGuinness, The Journal; Photographer of the Year - Ian Buist, Evening Chronicle; Magazine of the Year - Ray Marshall, Evening Chronicle; Weekly Journalist - Ruth Holliday, Morpeth Herald; Weekly Paper of the Year - the Darlington & Stockton Times; Trainee Journalist in NCTJ Examinations - Anna Smith, News Guardian, Whitley Bay; Young Journalist - Liz Lamb, The Northern Echo; North-East Journalist of the Year - Mike Amos, The Northern Echo;

Graeme Stanton Award for Lifetime of Achievement - Mike Neville; North-East Newspaper of the Year - The Northern Echo.

Life on the front line

WAR reporter Kate Adie will be in her native North-East tomorrow to talk about her experiences as a foreign correspondent.

The Royal Geographic Society talk, at Darlington's Arts Centre, follows Ms Adie's resignation from the BBC earlier this year.

The Sunderland-born broadcaster, who became a familiar figure reporting from the world's troublespots stepped down after 35 years with the organisation, including 24 as chief news correspondent.

Her lecture is expected to touch on many events in her career which involved her broadcasting from areas including Rwanda, Libya, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and the Middle East.

She has won many awards including prizes for her reports of the Tiananmen Square uprising, in China, and the US bombing of Tripoli.

Ms Adie, 57, cut her broadcasting teeth with fledgling Radio Durham after graduating from Newcastle University.

For tickets for tomorrow night's lecture call (01325) 486555.