THE man behind the meteoric rise of the North-East’s newest top-flight sports team was last night crowned the Local Hero of 2011.

Dave Elderkin is the driving force behind Durham Wildcats basketball team, which has grown from the grass roots to the British Basketball League in only 11 years.

Mr Elderkin won the overall award at last night’s glittering Local Heroes Awards at Hardwick Hall Hotel, near Sedgefield, County Durham.

The award was presented by Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew and Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray.

Other star guests at The Northern Echo event included North-East athletics legend Steve Cram, Durham’s record run-maker Dale Benkenstein, Hartlepool manager Mick Wadsworth, ex-Boro stars Gary Pallister and Craig Hignett, Sunderland players Matt Killgallon and David Meyler, Darlington captain Ian Miller, European Tour golfer Graeme Storm, and racehorse trainers Ferdy Murphy and Michael Dods.

Mr Elderkin was chosen out of hundreds of entries, which were whittled down into ten category winners, covering a range of sports and ages.

Youngest winner of the night was 11-year-old gymnast Amy Tinkler, from Bishop Auckland, and the oldest was 92-year-old Alf Walsh, president of Hartlepool’s Burn Road Harriers athletics club.

The evening, compered by the editor of The Northern Echo, Peter Barron, raised £5,000 for the charity Future Sport, which gives out grants to youngsters involved in sport at the grass roots.

Announcing the overall winner, Mr Barron said: “Dave Elderkin is someone the North-East can be truly proud of – someone who had a sporting dream and turned it into reality from the grass roots.”

􀁧 A souvenir supplement, featuring the highlights of the Local Heroes Awards 2011, will be published in tomorrow’s edition of The Northern Echo.