people around the world are experiencing the breathtaking beauty of the North-East thanks to a technology company's web project.

North Shields-based The Virtual Tour Group has created 20 interactive virtual tours, which showcase some of Northumberland National Park's most popular tourist attractions.

The tours, which can be viewed on the park's website, have been developed to help boost tourism to the area.

Dawn Burton, The Virtual Tour Group's managing director, said: "We have a number of years' experience in this field which has enabled us to build our reputation and skills to deliver the class-leading, highest quality virtual tours available within our target sectors."

To create the tours, the firm took hundreds of photographs of the area using immersive imaging technology, designed to make users feel like they are actually inside the scene, while also giving them total control within it so they can tilt, zoom and look up or down.

The same technology can be used for a wide range of digital still photography and video applications, ranging from surveillance to visual documentation and even analysis of road traffic accidents.

Duncan Wise, team leader for visitor services at the National Park said: "I'm sure that we'll see visitor numbers to the area increase further as a result of the tours, and I think that people all over the world will be delighted to be able to experience such incredible landscapes."

The Virtual Tour Group is a member of Codeworks Connect, the trade association for the North-East's digital industries.

Herbert Kim, chief executive of Codeworks, said: "The tours not only demonstrate the tremendous natural beauty of Northumberland National Park, but also the power of technology as a marketing tool.

"It's yet another terrific example of how the North East's booming technology companies are having a positive impact on other industries."

To take a tour, visit the website www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk