FANS of Channel Four soap opera Brookside queued yesterday to see heart-throb Philip Olivier launch a learning initiative.

Philip, who plays Tinhead in the Liverpool-based show, delighted fans when he logged on to his unofficial North-East website to sign the visitors' book.

The site, which has been set up by Brookside fans in the region, is part of the Communigate scheme run by The Northern Echo.

Communigate allows non-profit-making organisations to set up and run their own websites for free.

Olivier's fan site is called babe-magnet in honour of the 21-year-old bachelor and he was eager to log on to read what his fans had said about him and to leave his own message.

The actor was in Darlington to open the Passport to Learning event being held in the Market Place and promote the Passport to Learning scheme.

The scheme is an initiative to get people of all ages and from all walks of life, to return to education.

He said: "It is never too late to carry on learning.

"We are all born with the capacity to learn - without our minds, our bodies will not live.

"Everyone should try to find out something new each day. Whether they go to the library or surf the Internet it is important to keep learning."

Representatives from schools, colleges and voluntary organisations throughout the region set up stalls in the market square to promote learning possibilities for people of all ages.

Youngsters from the Skerne Park drummers entertained the crowds.