A RUGGED coastline, moorland and valleys - the North-East and North Yorkshire provide some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

Now, The Northern Echo is encouraging amateur photographers to capture our region on film or memory card.

Presented in association with Orange, The Great North Photography Competition aims to celebrate the landscape, buildings and towns and cities of the North-East and North Yorkshire.

"We are encouraging children and adults to enter their best picture of the North-East or North Yorkshire," said Sheelagh Caygill, digital media editor at The Northern Echo. The picture must be taken in 2003 and can be anything or place in the region, although family shots and portraits will not be accepted.

"We welcome pictures of our dramatic coastline, scenic shots of the countryside or our historic buildings, a picture capturing the life of a town or city, or a quiet tranquil village."

Maureen Dixon, regional public relations and sponsorship manager at Orange, said: "We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country and this is a great way to capture our fantastic scenery and share it with everyone.

"The emergence of photo messaging on phones also allows images to be shared immediately with friends and family wherever they are.

"We are delighted to be working with The Northern Echo on this project."

Entries can be in any format and can include digital photos, phone photos or traditional film prints.

The competition is open to anyone resident of the North-East and North Yorkshire, and has two age categories - under 18s and 18 and over.

A winner in each category will be selected, and each winner will receive a £150 prize.

A selection of some of the best entries will be published online, and the two winning entries will be published in the paper at the close of the competition.

The winners will be chosen from a shortlist by two judges: Mike Gibb, chief photographer of The Northern Echo, and amateur photographer Sean Leonard.

For full competition rules and how to enter, log on to www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/gnpc/index.html.

The closing date for entries is 5pm, Friday, September 12.