RETIRING after her year in office as chairman of Easington District Council, Councillor Audrey Laing handed over a record breaking cheque to her chosen charity.

After 12 months of tireless fundraising Coun Laing presented £15,000 to the Chin Up organisation.

District councillor for a Peterlee ward, Coun Laing has also spent her year in the top post helping to raise the profile of the authority.

"When I took over as chairman I was determined to do what I could for all the people of the area," she said yesterday.

During her term as chairman, she attended more than 200 meetings and functions.

A mark of the impression she has made in the district came when a Seaham couple celebrating their golden wedding decided to abandon any celebrations and instead gave the popular chairman a donation of £560 for Chin Up.

"It was the most touching gesture during my year of office," she said.

As well as attending official appointments both in the region and throughout the UK, Coun Laing has also helped strengthen ties with the district's twin town of Baesweiller.

But the crowning glory of her year came with the royal visit of the Queen to Easington.

"It was the icing on the cake for me to meet the Queen and introduce her to the people of Easington.

"It is something I will never forget," she said.

Her last duty came when she presented the bumper cheque to Dave Nicolaou, the chairman of the board of trustees for Chin Up.