A COMPUTER games company which was backed with a grant from One NorthEast is riding high in the charts with two of its latest offerings.

Eutechnyx, based in Gateshead, has turned MTV show Pimp My Ride and Hollywood blockbuster The Fast and the Furious into video games for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Both games have proved huge hits and are enjoying success in the UK video game charts.

Two years ago, Eutechnyx secured a selective finance for investment grant from regional development agency One NorthEast.

It helped the firm to expand its development studio in Gates-head, which is currently producing next generation games for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii systems.

Eutechnyx employs more than 80 people in Gateshead, Hong Kong and mainland China, and is planning to recruit more staff.

Managing director Brian Jobling said: "We have an excellent staff at Eutechnyx who worked day and night to make these products a big success, and we are delighted that this has been reflected in the charts.

"The Fast and the Furious and Pimp My Ride were both developed for Californian publishers and have now been successful on both sides of the Atlantic.

"We are really pleased with the success the company is enjoying. Looking at the bigger picture, Eutechnyx, which is a member of both Codeworks Connect and Games Horizon, is helping put the region's videogames market further on the national and international map."

Andy Walton, ebusiness manager at One NorthEast, said: "Eutechnyx is a successful video games company with its roots firmly in the North-East, so I'm delighted they are doing so well."