A PRESS officer who oversees a university's media relations is making the news himself.

Senior figures at Durham University paid tribute to its head of public relations, Keith Seacroft, to mark the issuing of the department's 1,000th press release.

Mr Seacroft, who became the university's first information officer in 1986, is responsible for informing the outside world about developments at Durham, as well as responding to queries from the regional and national media.

Colleagues took advantage of his absence on a family holiday to organise yesterday's surprise reception to herald the millennium landmark.

Mr Seacroft, dubbed the university's Millennium Man for the day, was summoned supposedly to a meeting with university vice-chancellor Sir Kenneth Calman.

On entering the Rotunda at the university's Old Shire Hall administrative building, he was taken aback to see public relations office colleagues and representatives from several departments at Durham.

He was presented with a spoof press release and a framed photograph of himself, in action, responding on a mobile phone to a press call during the annual honorary degree congregation ceremony at Durham Castle.

Sir Kenneth hailed his work, leading the university's "media machine".

"He plays a central role, keeping us in touch with the wider community and spreading the good news about what an amazing university we have here," he said.

Mr Seacroft said his tasks include making the university appear less remote to the outside world.

"There was a time when the ivory towers image may have been appropriate, but that's not the case now."

During his time, the university has doubled in size. It has more than 11,000 students, following the introduction of its Stockton campus.