IN many ways, being a parish councillor is a thankless task. It is an unpaid, low-profile role which requires time, dedication and behind-the-scenes service to the community. It is by no means an easy duty.

This makes the achievements of five individuals in villages near Darlington, who have recently been honoured for more than 25 years' service each, even more remarkable.

The councillors, who have a combined service of more than 160 years, were honoured at a ceremony at Darlington Town Hall.

Awards were presented to Peter Foster and Alan Gibson, of Hurworth Parish Council, Frank Richardson of Low Dinsdale Parish Council, Eric Thompson, of Heighington Parish Council, and Beatrice Cuthbertson, of Sadberge Parish Council.

Mr Foster got involved in the parish council after moving to Hurworth in 1972.

He started as a parish councillor because the house he moved to was newly-built and there were problems with street-lighting and road surfaces, which had not yet been adopted by the borough council.

He was elected as a borough councillor for Hurworth in 1984.

During his time, he has seen Hurworth Grange community centre come into the village's ownership, the village have a Royal Navy ship named after it and the school become one of the top-performing in the North-East.

He said: "It was quite a surprise to receive the award. You don't expect anything for it."

Mr Gibson has served 31 years on Hurworth Parish Council, after getting involved with the community centre committee.

He said one of the council's greatest achievements was successfully fighting a planning application to create an agricultural-industrial estate near the village - something he said would have been "the wrong solution".

"I like Hurworth," he said.

"My family is here. It is a nice village, a beautiful village. It is close to services and yet still very much rural."

Mr Richardson, who has lived in Low Dinsdale since 1936, joined the parish council after starting a village youth club in 1970 and being advised that he might be able to access funding via the parish council.

He said one of the parish council's greatest achievements was to ensure the playing field was not sold in the 1990s.

"I have thought that I was doing something good," he said. "I have always had the greatest respect from this village I have lived in."

Mr Thompson, of Heighington, joined the parish council in 1967. During this time, he missed four years' service when he was on holiday during an election.

He said he had served so long on the parish council for several reasons.

"You want to keep the village as it was as much as you can," he added. "That and of course you get involved in projects and want to see them through."

Beatrice Cuthbertson, who has served on Sadberge Parish Council for 36 years, has just been presented with an MBE for services to the community by Prince Charles.

As well as her involvement with the parish council, she has been a district councillor and volunteers for numerous village organisations, including the church and the village hall. She was also mayor from 1987 to 1988.

She became the village's first female parish councillor after being asked to join the council.

Ms Cuthbertson is originally from Richmond and has lived in Sadberge since 1946.

"I think it is a lovely village," she said. "I live for my village.