A COUPLE who gave up their jobs to run a pub are celebrating winning a top trade award.

Ken and Noreen Harris, both 54, who took over The Rose Tree, in Shincliffe, near Durham City, in October 2004, scooped the Newcomer of the Year title for the Tyne Tees TV region in the awards, run by the licensed trade newspaper the Morning Advertiser.

The couple will attend a gala dinner in London on Thursday, February 2, when they will contend against other regional finalists for the national award.

Before taking the pub's lease Mr Harris was a sales manager and his wife a PA.

"We gave up good jobs to create the sort of pub we would like to go to on a Saturday night,'' said Mr Harris.

He said that they had been chosen for the award because of their lack of experience, for increasing the turnover from food and drink by 50 per cent and investing in refurbishment of the pub.

The couple are extending their interests by taking on the lease of Shincliffe's other pub, The Seven Stars, which has been acquired by Enterprise Inns, which owns The Rose Tree, and are planning a major refurbishment there.

Mr Harris said of the regional award,"It is a tremendous boost to our morale and to staff morale.''