CREATIVE youngsters will come face-to-face with their mechanical monster heroes, after winning a design competition.

The three boys and their parents won an all-expenses paid trip to see the filming of the next series of the hit BBC TV show, Robot Wars.

Mitchell Curry, of Hetton-le-Hole, Andrew Templey of Hepscott, in Northumberland, and Alex Harrison, of Whitley Bay, were the three winners of a Gateshead MetroCentre competition to design a robot to take part in the show.

The competition ran during a week-long visit to the region by the stars of the series - the House Robots, including Sir Killalot, Dead Metal, Sergeant Bash, Refbot, Shunt and Matilda.

Three-year-old Mitchell's design, Cheeky Monkey, was chosen from the five years and under category and was made from foil, cotton wool, cardboard and fairy cake cases.

Andrew, seven, came up with Countdown, winner of the six to ten years category, which was made from cardboard and included a timing device.

The silver Spin Dozer, created by Alex, 13, won the 11 to 15 years category.