EVERY age has its heroes and champions.

Robin Hood was medieval man's fantasy - righting wrongs, defending the underdog.

Now, analysis of rhymes and stories of Robin by two North-East academics has shown the legendary character probably never existed.

Research of 15th Century texts by Richard Almond, of Darlington College of Technology, and Teesside University's Professor Tony Pollard has led them to conclude that, far from being the mythical dispossessed aristocrat-turned-outlaw or the leader of a guerrilla band fighting bad King John, Robin was referred to as a yeoman.

He was probably a forestry official and little more than a gamekeeper.

The academics dismiss the popular myth as just a 19th Century invention.

"People can identify with the Robin Hood figure from all directions of society," said Professor Pollars.

In the 15th Century, when the first written accounts of Robin appear, charity fundraisers used to dress up as Robin Hood to collect money for parish needs. His name, or variations of it, was being used by highway robbers from about 1220.

"It is fair to say what we know about Robin Hood is fiction. Robin Hood was not a real person.."

Prof Pollard, who examined medieval manuscripts for clues among hunting and falconry terms to Robin Hood's background, is writing a book on the subject.