A COMPETITION has been launched to find the 2006 County Durham Village of the Year.

The contest, organised by Durham Rural Community Council (DRCC) and sponsored by gas supplier Calor, is looking for the village which best maintains and enhances quality of life for all residents.

The competition was first run last year, when Sedgefield took the title with Gainford as runner up.

Villages with a population of 5,000 and less are eligible to enter and application forms have now been sent out to communities across the county.

Villages will be judged in six categories: building community life, business, young people, older people, the environment and information communication technology.

A prize of £500 will be made to the overall winner and another £500 to the winner of the building community life category.

Organiser Michelle O'Keefe, from the DRCC, said: "Taking part in this competition is a wonderful way of celebrating and promoting all that is positive about where you live.

"It isn't a competition about perfect villages - it's about communities working hard to make life for residents as good as it can be in whatever ways possible."

For further information and an application form, please ring the DRCC on (01207) 529621. The closing date for entries is May 30 and the judging takes place in June.