AUCTIONEERS are hoping to tempt some of the region's football stars to bid for distinctive registration plates

Hundreds of personalised registrations will go under the hammer at a DVLA auction next week.

Some of the 1,600 lots at the auction, at Redworth Hall, County Durham, will bear some famous initials.

Auction chiefs are hoping that Newcastle United players Jermaine Jenas, Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy could be interested in 34 JJ, 64 AS or 74 CB for their cars.

Sunderland strikers Marcus Stewart and Kevin Kyle could go for 47 MS or 123 KK.

Other registrations expected to create interest include S33 BMW, JAG 5X, 74 SAM, 45 DAD and SUE 2Y.

Damian Lawson, DVLA's auction manager, said: "It has been about ten years since the last DVLA auction in the North-East, so we are very excited.

"Redworth Hall is a fantastic venue and we will be sure to make the sale as enjoyable and as relaxing as possible for our customers.

"We have some very distinctive registrations on offer and I am sure there will be a lot of happy customers."

Reserve prices start from £250 and, while bidding in person is the most popular method, free telephone, postal and Internet bidding facilities are available.

Redworth Hall is on the A6072, between Shildon and Heighington, and the auction will take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week, starting at 9am each day.

The DVLA website is at www. dvlaregistrations.co.uk