MILLIONS of TV viewers will watch as a North-East couple attempt to win their dream home after overcoming a string of disasters.

Tracy and Craig Million ended a run of bad luck when they were chosen to take part in Channel 5's popular programme, Hot Property, due to be shown next Wednesday.

After successfully auditioning against other North-East couples, host Alice Beer challenged the pair to look at three houses in the Durham area.

If they successfully guessed within £500 of the price of their favourite property, they would win it.

Yesterday, Tracy, an events and sponsorship manager for the North-East Chamber of Commerce, spoke of the catalogue of misfortune which led Craig's mother to put them forward as Hot Property hopefuls.

She said: "Both of us had suffered redundancy, although Craig is now working as a promotions officer at Bishop Auckland Town Hall.

"Craig wrote off his car and was injured in the accident.

"Then, when we got married in Las Vegas last year, it was just before September 11 and we ended up stranded in Las Vegas without a return flight.

"We are still in debt for an extra week of hotel, food and car hire, which was quite expensive where we were."

At one stage, after five years together, the couple had considered emigrating to Canada - Tracy's twin sister, Julie, lives in the US - and were living in rented accommodation at Woodstone Village, near Houghton-le-Spring.

"Then Hot Property came along," said Tracy, who was nicknamed Polly Poppit Alice Beer because she is only 5ft 1in.

"We were really nervous and everyone was excited for us because we had the chance to win a house in Durham, where I work," she added.

Tracy and Craig were faced with the choice of three properties:

1. A virtually-new three-bedroomed house in Witton Gilbert, ten minutes from Durham, with an asking price of about £60,000.

2. A large three-bedroomed semi in Belmont, Durham City, with an asking price in the region of £79,000 to £83,000.

3. A two-bedroomed semi in Sacriston, just beyond Witton Gilbert, with stunning views, but a long, child-unfriendly staircase to the garden, about £90,000.

The couple opted for Belmont and had until they drove from Woodstone to Durham to guess the price.

Hot Property is screened at 8.30pm next Wednesday.