PEOPLE and businesses from across the entire North-East are taking part in the UK's largest sleep-out to raise money for a children's charity.

Called Byte Night the event will make its debut in the North-East later this year and it's hoped more than £85,000 can be raised in the region and £1.4million across the country.

Money raised will go to Action for Children, a charity which aims to ensure every child has a safe home.

Businesses from across the North-East are invited to sleep out in Newcastle on Friday, October 7 and about 1,700 sleepers are expected to take part across the entire country. The organisers are keen for businesses from across the south of the region to take part, not just Newcastle-based organisations.

Action for Children is holding a launch event on Tuesday, May 17 in Newcastle at the charity's centre in Hoults Yard from 6pm to give companies big and small from across the North-East the opportunity to find out how they can get involved. A key speaker will include Lord Shipley of the House of Lords and ex-leader of Newcastle City Council.

Alistair Russell, senior vice president, advisory services at CIO-Connect and chair of the Byte Night North East board will host the event. He said: “Byte Night has raised more than £8 million in support of disadvantaged children and young people since its launch in 1998. We hope that by adding a North-East sleep-out, we can contribute to this year’s national target of £1.4million as I believe we’re an incredibly compassionate region.”

Simultaneous sleep-outs will take place across ten locations: London, Thames Valley, Cambridge, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast, Newcastle, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

Find out more at bytenight.org.uk