An arts festival that brought together two North Norfolk seaside towns has scooped a regional award.

Last year's Coast event staged by the Cromer and Sheringham Arts Festival was judged the best project in the East in the Action for Market Towns awards.

The project will go forward with four others from across England and Wales to the Action for Market Town national awards, with the winner announced on October 13.

The 10-day festival in October half-term week featured a programme of 65 creative and cultural events across the two towns and surrounding rural villages.

The towns worked together to involve existing community initiatives, meet local needs and make the most of opportunities for joint planning and promotion.

Chairman of the 2010 event Tim Bartlett said: "The award takes the cake - and getting into the National Finals adds the icing and the cherry!"

And one of the festival's vice-chairmen Catherine Plewman said the this same award – and the overall national award – was won in 2007 by Merchants' Place community resource and learning centre at Cromer - so it was good to bring one of them back home and landing the national award again later would be a real coup.

AMT chief executive Chris Wade said the winners, who were an inspiration to other communities, were chosen for 'an extra level of community leadership, a great spark of innovation and ideas and financing models that readily transfer to other towns.'

The second Coast Festival will be launched at a public event on Saturday July 23, from 5-7pm, at the Brickworks in West Runton. More information at www.casaf.co.uk or call Kate Royall on 07775 337201.