NORTH-EAST scientist and Brainiac star Dr John Kilcoyne is taking his unusual but hugely popular approach to science on a UK tour.

The University of Sunderland academic is respected across the country for his successful efforts in attracting youngsters to science.

His light-hearted take on the subject attracts thousands of youngsters to his lectures, which aim to show that science is fun and is not all about stuffy men in white coats.

Since he began his tours, he has twice been asked to speak at the Faraday Institute and the Royal Society of Chemistry, as well as take a starring role on Sky One's science show, Brainiac.

His unusual approach includes everything from freezing bananas and using them to knock nails into wood, creating huge explosions, and checking out calcium levels in bottles of water to see if manufacturers are telling the truth.

Dr Kilcoyne will entertain more than 13,000 children during his tour, covering schools between Dundee and Bristol.

He said: "The most important thing is the feedback. They say that it encourages the kids to study science - for me that's what it's all about.

"By making science fun, it's easier to show how it is relevant to their everyday lives. Science is about life - about what goes on every day."

The university has won praise over the past few years for its efforts in attracting youngsters to science.

As well as the inroads made by Dr Kilcoyne, the university's Brightsparks science club, which was set up in 2001, has brought the subject alive for many youngsters.

The club, which has about 350 members, follows a theme similar to that used by Dr Kilcyone. It is now starting to see its first members taking up places at the university's school of sciences.