TOMORROW is D-Day for the North-East when it is revealed who will win the European Capital of Culture 2008 title.

After years of hard work and preparation, the Newcastle-Gateshead bid has become the bookmakers' favourite to be named as the winner from six shortlisted entries.

Organisers of the bid remain on tenterhooks as they await the news from Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell.

Newcastle-Gateshead Initiative chief executive Neil Rami said last night: "The whole of the North-East is eagerly anticipating this announcement after four years of hard work.

"Regeneration through culture is the strategy for renewal of Newcastle-Gateshead, we believe."

An expert panel, chaired by former Royal Opera House chief Sir Jeremy Isaacs, has been weighing up the rival merits of Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle-Gateshead and Oxford.

Bookmaker William Hill makes Newcastle-Gateshead the 11/8 favourite, with Liverpool at 9/4, Cardiff 7/2, Birmingham 11/2, Bristol 8/1 and Oxford 10/1.

The contenders are hoping to reap the benefits, and the image change, Glasgow enjoyed when it won the title in 1990.

Newcastle-Gateshead's bid contains plans for investment worth £3bn. About £350m of this will be spent directly on permanent cultural infrastructure and £100m on an events programme spanning five years.

A study suggests the title could bring an additional four million visitors to the region every year by 2008, and create 17,000 jobs.

European Union member states take turns to nominate a city to hold the title. Although, technically, Ms Jowell will announce the city to be nominated to the EU to receive the honour, the acceptance of the candidate is a formality.

After making the announcement in London, Ms Jowell and Sir Jeremy will travel to the winning city bearing a letter from Prime Minister Tony Blair confirming the nomination.

Announcing the shortlist last October, Ms Jowell said the competition had brought out the very best in the cities which had entered.

She said: "All the bidding cities recognise the power of culture and creativity as an engine for regeneration and a rich seam for boosting civic pride and firing imaginations.

"Now we have six centres of excellence; six showcases for the very best that Britain, the most creative country in Europe, has to offer.''

The decision, to be announced by the Culture Secretary at 8am, will have been made by Mr Blair on the recommendation of the judging panel.

Judges have visited all the rival cities - and were given a package of more than 30 things to do during a two-day trip to Tyneside.

They met music maestro Bradley Creswick and Angel of the North artist Antony Gormley. They were able to see Paradiso, a collection of world-famous paintings at the Laing and new artwork by Gormley at the Baltic.

They listened to the Northern Sinfonia and enjoyed an operetta by Carla Rosa, the UK's oldest opera company.

Initiative chairman Sir Ian Wrigglesworth said: "People across the region are hungry for this title, which goes beyond the fabulous architecture, galleries, museums, theatres, and style."

Officials from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport will travel to all six cities for the announcement to prevent any of them getting a hint of the result.