AN athletics event is to be staged in the region for the first time in 50 years.

The English Schools' Track and Field Championships, dubbed the Kid's Olympics, will take place next year in Gateshead International Stadium.

Recently retired Olympic and world triple jump record holder Jonathan Edwards launched the event at the stadium yesterday.

The two-day contest is expected to attract 2,000 of the finest young athletes from across England.

It has been a springboard for some of the country's highest achievers, including Mr Edwards and three-times English School's champion Steve Cram.

He said: "Thousands of young people throughout England take part each year, providing healthy competition, giving them a taste of the sport at the highest junior level and hopefully encouraging them into senior athletics.

"It certainly gave me the confidence to go onwards and upwards."

Northumberland Schools' Athletics Association has won backing from the councils of Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside and North-umberland.

The event, now in its 78th year, has experienced financial difficulties in the past and the 2004 competition could be the last, if more sponsorship is not found.