Newcastle/Gateshead will battle it out against five other UK cities to be named European Capital of Culture 2008.

The other five are: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, and Oxford. They have been unveiled as the contenders by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell.

The six were whittled down from an original list of a dozen by a 12-person committee which visited the competing cities to draw up the shortlist.

Ms Jowell said the competition had "brought out the very best" in the 12 cities which had entered.

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

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