A SPECIALIST centre to help patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalopathy (ME) is to be opened in the region.

The Newcastle centre, one of 12 in England set up using an £8.5m cash injection, will provide specialist assessment, diagnosis and advice on treating chronic fatigue, as well as improving the knowledge and skills of staff.

They will also support clinical research into the causes and treatment of ME, which is thought to cost the UK about £3.6bn a year in medical treatments, lost income and benefit payments, which is about £15,000 for each person with the condition.

An estimated 10,000 people in the North-East are thought to have ME, which in the past was dismissed by some as ''yuppie flu".

Many are utterly exhausted by the illness and can rarely leave their own homes.

A team is to be set up in County Durham and Darlington to provide support for sufferers.

The team will provide rehabilitation programmes, support for house-bound patients and help to develop methods to let people take care of themselves.

Jennifer Elliott, chief executive of the ME North-East charity, said: "This is the first time there will be anything specifically for ME patients.

"We have lobbied long and hard for this and we were a party to putting the bids together. We are delighted to get the cash."

But she expressed disappointment that Sunderland missed out on cash and Cleveland failed to make a bid.