Four £500 cash prizes are up for grabs for journalists writing about life in the North-East of England.

Reporters working in the region are being invited to take part in a competition aimed at promoting life around the River Skerne.

The river rises near the Trimdons, in County Durham, and flows south near Fishburn, Bishop Middleham, Sedgefield, Newton Aycliffe, and through Darlington.

The competition has been launched by Discover Brightwater, a £3.3m landscape partnership based around the River Skerne with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Journalists are invited to enter features of up to 1,500 words that have a link to the people, landscapes, or communities around the Skerne, preferably with pictures attached.

Discover Brightwater programme manager Paul Black, pictured, said: “Our remit is to restore, reveal and celebrate life around the River Skerne, so we are looking to tap into the talent of journalists to help us do that.

“We are particularly interested in receiving entries that reflect life around the path of the Skerne: local initiatives, interesting local characters, and the rich heritage of the river. We want entries that are more than basic news stories but well-crafted, colourful features.”

The closing date is 30 June and entries should be sent to [email protected].