A regional daily has run a special edition in a bid to win a prestigious nationwide title for part of its patch.

The Northern Echo urged UK City of Culture judges to award UK City of Culture 2025 as they visited the area yesterday.

Durham faces competition from Bradford, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough for the honour after being shortlisted.

But the Darlington-based Echo hoped to catch the eye of the judges with its front page plea yesterday, pictured below.

Echo audience and content editor Nick Gullon told HTFP: “We know what a prestigious title the UK City of Culture is and the benefits a successful bid can have on an area and wider region, so it was an absolute no brainer that the Northern Echo gets behind the Durham 2025 bid.

“On the day the judges are visiting County Durham to see for themselves our wonderful part of the world which we call home, we have compiled our case for why we should be successful.

“We’ve pulled together a range of pieces to highlight why County Durham should win, including the benefits it would bring to the region, why the people of Durham are backing it, and interviews with those behind the bid explaining how they’ve made the case for our region.”

The Echo also highlighted the back given to the bid by famous names including Tony Blair, Jeremy Vine, Sting and Lost Voice Guy.

Added Nick: “The idea behind this special Northern Echo was that the judges could see for themselves when they arrive how much we love and care about our region, and how much the people of County Durham, from all backgrounds and walks of life, want the bid to be successful.

“It would mean so much to us all to win and would have such a hugely positive impact on the region for years to come. Let’s hope the judges agree.”