A GROUP of leather-clad bikers acted as tour guides for Dutch writers on the culture trail.
The motorcycling journalists arrived by ferry from Holland and were greeted by bikers from the Westgate Hill Traders' Association in Newcastle.
The media group will be writing about Newcastle and Gateshead's joint bid for European Capital of Culture 2008 and exploring Northumberland's countryside by motorbike. The Geordie bikers took the group back to their home turf after a whistle-stop tour landmarks such as the Millennium Bridge and Tyne Bridge.
Westgate Hill is the home to motorcycle shops and is a popular place for bikers to meet at the weekend.
Margaret Blissett, who runs Arabesque on Westgate Hill and a member of Westgate Hill Traders' Association, said: "Westgate Hill has a lively culture at the weekends and we already attract visitors from Scandinavia and across Europe.
"We believe that Newcastle-Gateshead's bid for European Capital of Culture 2008 is already improving the profile of the region and encouraging more visitors."
Neil Rami, chief executive of the Newcastle-Gateshead Initiative, said: "We hope the Dutch bikers enjoy their time here exploring the region with the knowledge and advice of our local bikers."
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