DEVELOPMENT chiefs were last night mapping out the detail of an ambitious £2m drive to boost the region's image.

After unveiling the Here.Now campaign on Tuesday a delegation from the region flew to Brussels to brief MEPs.

Regional development agency One NorthEast has already enlisted a star-studded cast of celebrities to endorse the campaign.

Pop superstar Elton John, international singer Lesley Garret and former top athlete Sebastian Coe will feature in publicity material talking about why they are big fans of the region.

The move is the first in a 12- month multi-media initiative designed to instill confidence and inspire North-Easterners.

Partners One NorthEast and the North East Assembly have discovered that it is the region's own residents who have the most negative opinion about what the area can offer.

Now they hope to spend the next year focusing on the aspirations and achievements of ordinary people in a drive to change public perceptions

One NorthEast chairman, Dr John Bridge, said: "If only we could demonstrate that total belief in our ability to win on the football pitch in our everyday lives.

"That is the passion we need, to change outdated perceptions of this region - perceptions that have the ability to hold us back and drag us down."

The initiative has already been given the thumbs up from the region's MPs after a delegation met to discuss the campaign at Westminster.

Last night, European Commissioner Chris Patten also heard about the drive at a meeting in Brussels.

A spokesman for the campaign said: "The feedback generally is that the majority of people feel it's a good initiative.

"We think it is important to tell the North East, the rest of the UK, Europe and the world, what we have to offer in business, development, arts, culture, music, everything."

Initially, the campaign will run a six-week advertising programme, with the Here.Now. logo on taxis, buses and billboards.

Advertising in newspapers, radio and TV will also feature heavily throughout the year, and the success stories of North-East people will also be celebrated.

The campaign's directors are hoping that community groups, organisations, business leaders, schools - and anyone who has a tale to tell - will come forward and help them.

After a year of promotion in the region, they will set their sights further afield, targeting Europe, America and Japan over five to ten years.

By the end, development chiefs guarantee that our image as just a beer-loving, football-crazy community, will be long gone.