North-East fighting robot FireStorm returns to the Robot Wars ring on Friday when TV millions will hopefully see the mighty yellow machine knocking lumps out of the opposition.

So good is the contender, built by Graham Bone, 23, from Langley Moor, near Durham City, that FireStorm is one of the seeded metal gladiators in BBC2's popular programme.

This is Mr Bone's third attempt to win Robot Wars.

Two years ago FireStorm was third and last year it finished in the top 16.

The Northumbria University engineering degree student, who works for Black and Decker, at Spennymoor, designed FireStorm with the help of electrical expert Alex Mordue, from Whitesmocks, Durham City.

This time, Mr Bone's girlfriend, Hazel Heslop, of Killingworth, Newcastle, helped in the months of work it takes to prepare the robot for mortal combat.

"This is the third incarnation we've made, and each year it gets harder and harder. In this series, the weight limit was increased from 80kg to 100kg, so we switched from 3mm to 5mm aluminium. This year's filming contains our hairiest moment so far," said Mr Bone.

FireStorm cost about £4,000 to build, mostly through sponsorship, the use of machine parts that were heading for the skip and hours of hard graft.

"I think FireStorm is so good because we have a very manoeuvrable, powerful robot, which can usually flip over the opposition. You also need a little luck in the draw," said Mr Bone.

Robot Wars was filmed last summer at Elstree Studios in Boreham Wood and fans of FireStorm should make a note in their diary to watch the semi-final stages on August 16.

Meanwhile, Mr Bone and his team are already working on Firestorm4 for this summer's Robot Wars, which is likely to be filmed in Nottingham.

* To find out more about FireStorm, visit the robot's website at www.firestorm2.co.uk