WINDOW contractors are the toast of council tenant Elizabeth Best after fitting double glazing in her home.

Durham City Council is replacing windows in about 3,000 homes across the district to meet Government-set standards and Mrs Best's was the 1,000th in the past three years to benefit from the programme.

To celebrate, she received a sandwich toaster from the council and contractor Yorkshire Windows, of Rotherham.

Mrs Best, 82, of Framwellgate Moor, said: "They did the job in very quick time, made no mess and left me with wonderfully warm and draught-free windows."

Yorkshire Windows contract manager Alan Willert said: "We are delighted to be able to mark this achievement by presenting Mrs Best with a little reminder of our work, which we hope will give her pleasure for years to come."

The Liberal Democrat-run council decided to keep the ownership and management of its housing stock rather than follow the lead of other authorities across the country which have balloted tenants on whether they want to transfer to a "social landlord" with the promise of cash for improvements if they vote yes.