CATERERS at a Darlington school are celebrating after receiving a four-star hygiene rating.

Polam Hall School was given the rating in the Tees Valley Food Hygiene Awards, which are run across five authorities.

The school was inspected in May. Its rating shows it has very good food hygiene.

The school, in Grange Road, has a 12-strong catering team, who prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for the pupils and boarders.

They offer a range of hot and cold meals for pupils, providing a balanced diet.

Catering manager David Bell said: "The Tees Valley Food Hygiene Awards are a very transparent way of allowing the public to see how businesses are performing in terms of their food hygiene and safety, which can be an important factor for parents, who want to make sure that their children are receiving good quality food when out of the home.

"Polam Hall School has always prided itself on offering students a wide-ranging menu that is prepared to the highest possible standards in terms of both ingredients and hygiene.

"I am thrilled that this has now been recognised."

The five councils are Darlington, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Redcar & Cleveland.