A SCHEME to tackle light pollution is calling on stargazers to join in its Star Count 2014.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England and the British Astronomical Association’s Campaign for Dark Skies have joined with National Astronomy Week for the scheme.

They want the region’s astronomers to count the number of stars they can see in the Orion constellation with the naked eye on any night until Saturday, March 8.

Last year in the North-East 60 per cent of those who took part could see no more than ten stars and the group think this indicates severe light pollution.

Stargazers should submit their entries online at cpre.org.uk. They will be placed in a prize draw where they could win a Celestron AstroMaster telescope or an astronomy book.