stonemason Peter Cover-dale topped off a rigorous restoration scheme with an award for his craftsmanship.

The Barnard Castle masonry contractor was asked to upgrade a derelict 15th Century castle.

Scargill Castle, near Barnard Castle, was bought by archaeologist Niall Hammond as a wedding present for his wife, Caroline.

The three-storey gatehouse and adjoining fragmentary walls were not wanted when the former Italian owner sold it on to a buyer who only wanted the adjoining estate for its grouse moorland.

Mr Hammond, aware of the castle remains through his former job as an archaeologist with Durham County Council, paid £100 for the Grade II*- listed building and scheduled ancient monument, which had seen better days.

Having previously worked with Mr Coverdale, Mr Hammond called in the stone mason to perform the restoration work on the castle.

In a testing eight-month contract, Mr Coverdale, working with his wife Susan, used reclaimed materials and traditional methods wherever possible.

His finished work was described as "wonderful conservation" by judges in the County Durham Environment Awards.

Mr Coverdale won the craftsmanship prize, a new feature of the 13-year-old award scheme.

"I knew of Peter from my previous job and I knew he always did good work,"said Mr Hammond, who now works for the Royal Air Force.

"He certainly did a good job here on what was a very difficult task."

Mr Coverdale and project architect George Stastny received the award from county council chairman Charles Magee at County Hall.

Other award winners were: Built category - Seaham Hall, Durham's Millennium Gala Theatre and Clayport Library development, Eastgate Village Hall, and Wolsingham town restoration; natural category - Rosedale and Victoria Allotments Association at Willington; reclamation category - UK Coal Mining's Woodside Drift and Transfer Station, near Lanchester; schools category - Pittington Primary School's Walking Bus Scheme, Bowes Hutchinson CE School's secret garden, and Wolsingham Nursery School's nursery garden; Agenda 21 category - Durham City Council's roadside recycling scheme.

Farmers' markets held in Teesdale and Wear Valley were commended for their high standard of produce.