A ride that features comic book superheroes battling against evil will be unveiled in the North-East this weekend.

The 3D simulator ride, called the 7th Portal, will open at the Life Science Centre, in Newcastle. It was devised by Stan Lee, co-creator of comic book characters including Spider Man, the Incredible Hulk and the X-Men.

The ride features a film by Hollywood's Blur Studio and begins with a view of a computer screen showing a battle between teenager Greta and evil Vultura.

Vultura then crashes through the screen and drags viewers into a parallel dimension known as Darkmoor. The viewer becomes immersed in a battle with a green rock-like beast, called Krog, and is then taken on a ride through the heart of Darkmoor.

The centre's technical and maintenance manager Terry McCartney said: "We put great effort into getting the 3D effects extremely accurate.

"The motion itself comes in a separate computer file.

"A lot of time was spent synchronising the motion with images."

Centre director Linda Conlon said: "The 3D effects used throughout the film create the look of a comic book come to life and the motion simulation will ensure some thrilling action adventure."