PEOPLE in Darlington and Teesside will soon be able to learn new skills by switching on their television.

The Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley is launching its own television series to help people develop vital skills.

The Tees Valley Television (TVTV) series runs from Monday until March 21 and will be broadcast on mornings and early evenings on NTL's Boro TV Channel.

Each of the eight-minute programmes, which are presented by TFM Evening Show presenter Steve Harris, focuses on practical applications for key learning skills.

Programmes feature characters and focus on mental arithmetic, percentages and writing skills, among others.

The broadcasting of the series has been made possible by NTL, which has donated airtime on the channel to community broadcasting.

The programmes are part of Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley's commitment to improving key skills of young people and adults in the region.

TVTV is just one tool the learning and skills council is using to get people back into education who might have become disinterested, or lacked training opportunities.

The series will also be available on video and DVD, with subtitles, for everyone in the Tees Valley.

Pam Eccles, executive director of the council, said: "TVTV is a perfect way to take the message of the importance of key skills to the region.

"People either don't realise that they have a problem, are afraid to confront it head on or simply don't realise that there is assistance out there. We will be able to engage with people in the comfort of their own homes in an entertaining and informative way."