STARS from Byker Grove gave their backing to a region-wide firework safety campaign yesterday.

Twins Alex and Dominic Beebe, who play Adam and Luke in the hit children's television show, helped launch the campaign at Newcastle's Byker Grove studios.

Spearheaded by the region's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, including the police, fire service, local authorities and health authorities, it complements the Government's national fireworks safety campaign, launched yesterday by Consumer Affairs Minister Melanie Johnson.

Alan Brown, regional crime reduction director at the Government office for the North-East, said: "This is a terrific example of how the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships can work together with other partners to make a real difference to the safety of our communities.

"The campaign provides an excellent opportunity to get a clear safety message across and will, I'm sure, become a catalyst for other similar joint-working initiatives in the North-East."

The campaign began yesterday with a schools competition to design and name a fireworks, offering prizes such as the chance to meet some of the stars of Byker Grove