A FAMILY with more than a century of retail experience have topped the North-East rich list for the third year running.

Mark Fenwick, the 57-year-old chairman of the Fenwick Group - a chain of eight department stores based in Newcastle - amassed an additional £24m last year, topping the list with a family wealth of £348m.

Mr Fenwick and his family are ranked the 181st richest in Britain and Ireland in the Sunday Times Rich List, published tomorrow.

The second richest in the North-East is the Duke of Northumberland, 49, who has a fortune in land and art of £300m.

Darlington businessman Duncan Bannatyne, who has made his £168m from health clubs and nursing homes, is the sixth richest.

Chairman of Middlesbrough FC, Steve Gibson, is the 12th richest with £85m. He came from one of the town's poorest housing estates and owns 75 per cent of the Gibson O'Neill transport group.

The owner of Bishop Auckland-based water cooler maker Ebac, John Elliott, is the 17th richest in the North-East, with £70m.

Third in the list with £240m is Duncan Davidson, 65, the owner of York-based Persimmon Homes, who has seen his fortune grow faster than anyone else in the region. He owns 30,000 acres of land in North Northumberland.

The wealth of the Earl of Portsmouth and Robert Dickinson and family also lies in property or construction. They are ranked tenth and equal 18th with fortunes of £107m and £66m respectively, both largely via the Grainger Trust, the Newcastle-based property group.

Others who are in the rich list based on firm foundations include Stuart Monk, managing director of Stockon-based property business Jomast, who is ranked 14th with £79m.

William Rankin, chairman of the family-owned Newcastle property firm Hanro, is equal 15th with £75m.

And Phillip Yuill, who chairs the Hartlepool-based luxury home builder, Yuill Group, is equal 18th, with £66m.

Graham Wylie, whose £200m derives from racehorses and software company Sage, is the fourth richest in the North-East. He has a Durham stable of 90 racehorses.

Sir Peter Vardy, ranks the seventh richest and remains one of the 20 most generous givers in the country. Sir Peter, 59, recently sold the Reg Vardy car dealership to Pendragon, which helped his fortune grow from £128m last year to £150m. He sponsors Emmanuel College in Gateshead and the King's Academy, in Coulby Newham, Teesside.

Among those in the top 20 who have made their money from entertainment, include: film directors Sir Ridley and Tony Scott, from South Shields and Teesside, who have £95m; singer Sting, who has £185m; and headband-wearing rock star Mark Knopfler, who has £65m.

Brothers Alastair and Michael Powell own and run electrical contractor Cleveland Cable and rank the eight richest, with £140m.

Bakery boss Ian Gregg is the ninth richest, with £112m. The business started out as Greggs of Gosforth and now has 1,200 shops throughout the UK.

Carol Galley, who made her £80m in the City of London with an investment bank, is the 13th richest, while Lady Anne Bentinck, whose £75m is in land and art, is also in the list.

In Yorkshire, supermarket boss Sir Ken Morrison lost £103m last year - but is still the second richest in Yorkshire, after Eddie and Malcolm Healey, who have £1,900m from property and kitchen businesses.