MORE than 2,500 people in the North-East have pledged their support for Newcastle and Gateshead's bid for the European Capital of Culture 2008.

Calls flooded in to Newcastle City Council's Envirocall hotline for the Back the Buzz campaign, after the team behind the bid asked for public backing.

The campaign follows comments by the Capital of Culture panel of judges, who said Tyneside had to demonstrate that, if it won the title, the whole of the North-East would benefit.

Graeme Keedy, Envirocall's call centre manager, said: "As soon as we heard the Back the Buzz campaign was being launched, we offered to help sign up as many people as possible. We have been overwhelmed by the number of callers to our hotline who have wanted to sign up."

Neil Rami, chief executive of the Newcastle-Gateshead Initiative, the team behind the bid, said: "This is a fantastic response. Support for the back the buzz campaign is growing daily."

More than 1,000 sign-up books have been sent out to libraries, tourist information centres, schools, leisure centres, theatres, museum and art galleries and other public buildings across the region.

Newcastle and Gateshead is now on the shortlist of six cities for the European Capital of Culture title. The Government will announce the winner in June.

Anyone still wanting to register support can contact 0191-243 8815, or visit the website:

www.visitnewcastlegateshead.com