Top award for North East projects

Sage is a world-class music centre on the banks of the River Tyne.

The Sage Gateshead and Alnwick Garden have taken top honours at an award ceremony for European-funded projects.

They shared the top Pride of the Region title at the first ever Partners in Europe Awards.

The ceremony at Beamish Hall in County Durham celebrated the achievements made possible by European-funded projects in the North East.

More than 100 projects from across the region were vying for honours in other award categories.

Highly commended

In a close-run contest, judges awarded Sage the Pride of the Region Urban title and the Duchess of Northumberland's creation Alnwick Garden The Pride of the Region Rural title.

Seven Stories Centre for the Children's Book in Newcastle was highly commended as the Urban Pride of the Region project and the Bowes Museum in County Durham came highly commended as the Rural Pride of the Region entry.

Jonathan Blackie, Regional Director, Government Office for the North East said: "Our two winners can both truly be called the pride of the region.

"They reflect the tremendous difference European funding is making to both the urban and rural economies of the North East."