A LOCAL authority's education website has been awarded national praise for the services it provides.

The lifelong learning site developed by North Yorkshire County Council has been given the UK Portal Awarded Site award.

It has also received the Internet Content Rating Association's best possible rating, awarded to the authority for being a responsible website owner.

The site, www.northyorks.gov.uk/lifelonglearning, contains information about adult education, youth work, sports development and financial support to students in further and higher education in North Yorkshire.

Head of continuing education for the county council, Chris McGee, said: "We are very pleased to be awarded these quality marks.

"We hope these new links will encourage even more people around the county, the country, and the world, to visit the site."