A YEAR'S free web presence courtesy of Newsquest North-East - publisher of The Northern Echo and The Clarion - was the top prize for the winner of a town's best-dressed Christmas window competition.

The contest, organised every year by Redcar Business Association, is open to all businesses in the town. This year, it has been supported by Redcar town centre management and sponsored by The Clarion.

The competition was judged by the Mayor and Mayoress of Redcar and Cleveland, Arthur and Iris Dobson, with Northern Echo and Clarion reporter Lucia Charnock.

The winner was the Teesside Hospice shop in West Terrace, which had used products from the shop to make displays on Nativity and snowman themes.

Carol Lambert, manager of the shop, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to bits."

As well as the website, provided by the digital media services department of Newsquest North-East, the shop received a shield from Redcar Business Association and a box of chocolates from Thornton's.

Staff from runners-up Boyes were presented with a bottle of wine.