A MINI Olympic-style event aiming to get more North-East people involved in sports and exercise took place this weekend.

The first High Street Games was held in the Baltic Square, Gateshead, on Saturday.

It was organised by the National Lottery and Gateshead Council, and featured some of the disciplines from the forthcoming Athens Olympics, such as basketball, hockey, triple jump and long jump.

Competitors did not need to leap like Jonathan Edwards to make a mark -judges made sure that those who tried the hardest were in with a chance of winning prizes.

The National Lottery has supported British athletes competing in Athens with more than £100m.

One of them is swimmer Chris Cook, from Newcastle.

He said: "It is only with the funding and financial help from my parents that I am even going to the games."

A National Lottery spokeswoman said: "There will be plenty of top-notch athletics on TV very soon in Athens.

"It is great that people in Gateshead can get a feel for some of the sports themselves, while enjoying a day out.

"Everyone who has bought a National Lottery ticket or scratchcard has helped our elite athletes in Athens."