THE first skirmish in the battle to bring back a cherished national quiz crown to the North-East can be seen by television viewers next week.

Durham's first opponents in this year's University Challenge knockout series are the brightest brains at Queen's College, Cambridge.

The show has already been filmed but the Durham team remains tight-lipped as to whether they progress.

The university has twice won the University Challenge title; once during Bamber Gascoigne's reign as quizmaster in 1977; and again in 2000, with Jeremy Paxman as presenter.

Last year's quartet failed to retain the trophy after losing in the second round.

The university's team of 2002 is captained by Chris Joby, from Norwich, who is studying for an MA in theology at St John's College.

His team-mates are Simon Harris, from Hereford, of Grey College, who is studying history, politics and philosophy, James Henderson, from Dumfries, also at Grey College, who is on a natural sciences course, plus Will Riley, from Wivenhoe, of St Aidan's College, who is an economics and politics undergraduate.

The quartet receive valuable practice as regulars in the weekly contest at The Elm Tree, in Crossgate, unofficially known as the toughest venue on the Durham pub quiz circuit.

They were selected to represent the university in the long-running BBC quiz after winning an inter-college contest among Durham's finest student brains.

Viewers can see how they fared against Queen's College on BBC2, on Monday, at 8pm.