Staff at Newsquest North-East have paid their annual sporting tribute to a former colleague.

Northern Echo photographer Ian Weir died in 1999 after suffering a heart attack while waiting for a bypass operation.

Since then friends and colleagues have taken part in an annual golfing tournament in memory of the 38-year-old.

And this year the Ian Weir Memorial Golf Trophy was won by newspaper sales starlet Paul Ketley (below).

Ian's death led to an award-winning campaign by The Northern Echo to cut waiting times for heart bypass surgery in the UK.

Ian was known at the Darlington as "the world's worst golfer" so the tournament was deemed to be a suitable memorial.

Senior newspaper sales development co-ordinator Paul won the trophy with 37 points, with cricket writer Tim Wellock a point behind, and the Echo's deputy editor, Colin Tapping, coming third.

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