Towns in race to be Jubilee city

A NEW British city is to be created to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Local authorities across the UK have been invited to submit bids for their towns to take on city status, as the country celebrates the Queen's 60 years on the throne.

Existing cities will also have the chance to bid for a lord provostship - or in England a lord mayoralty. Only one award of city status and one lord mayoralty or lord provostship are expected to be made.

Stirling became one of the UK's newest cities in 2002, when five towns were recognised to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee.