AN international sporting event comes to the North-East this weekend.
Newcastle-Gateshead is playing host to the Corporate Games, previously been held in Australia and Turkey.
It aims to raise funds for the RNLI and kicks off today with a golf competition and concludes on Sunday.
It will see 5,000 people from 146 companies competing in 156 events and 23 sports.
Energy supplier npower employs 1,000 people in its Peterlee call centres and is fielding the largest team.
Some 250 staff, more people than an average Olympic team, from all over the country will compete in a number of different sports including football, hockey, golf and karting.
With Sir Bobby Robson as games patron, the event looks set to be the biggest of its kind.
The action will take place in venues all around Newcastle and Gateshead from St James' Park and Killingworth Lake to Derwenthaugh Park and Maften Hall. There will be a parade along the Newcastle quayside on Saturday night involving all participants.
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