A NORTH-EAST photographer was remembered yesterday at a memorial golf tournament and seat unveiling.

Ian Weir, 38, of Victoria Embankment, Darlington, died a year ago from a heart attack.

Yesterday, friends and colleagues from The Northern Echo, where Ian worked, staged the inaugural Ian Weir Memorial Golf Tournament, at Hall Garth Hotel, Coatham Mundeville, on the outskirts of Darlington.

Afterwards, Canon Bob Spence performed a service to dedicate a bench with a plaque commemorating Ian's love of golf and his cheeky sense of humour.

The bench is to be placed overlooking the third hole, where Ian invariably hit his ball into the pond guarding the green.

The plaque says: "In memory of Ian Weir, the world's worst golfer, whose balls always got wet here! Thanks for the memories and the laughs - all at The Northern Echo."

Canon Spence said: "It is a lovely way to remember Ian's personality and sense of humour."

The tournament, which was attended by Ian's widow, Maggie, and sons, Joe and Charlie, was won by Paul Ketley, of The Northern Echo's newspaper sales department.