£2M advertising drive to promote the North-East has been attacked by campaigners battling to save jobs in the region.

Regional development agency One NorthEast and the North-East Assembly last night launched Here. Now. CORR - a marketing initiative aimed at updating the region's image.

The promotional campaign, which will include advertising and public relations, will be kick-started with around £2m over the next three years.

Over the next 12 months the campaign will be inward-looking and aimed at improving North-Easterners' perception of their region.

Only then will the "positive messages" be pushed in other parts of the UK and abroad, to encourage investment in business and tourism.

Another £700m will be used to develop a booming business infrastructure for the region.

But John Shuttleworth, a Durham county councillor who has led a campaign to save jobs at the Blue Circle cement plant in Eastgate, County Durham, believes the cash could be better invested.

He said: 'How can they stick two million in to promote the North-East when there are people at Eastgate losing their jobs. It won't do them any good. 'I think they are wasting tax payers money. This two million could be better spent elsewhere in the region.'

The image campaign will include television advertisements featuring celebrities such as Elton John, footballer Ian Wright and Oscar-winning film producer David Puttnam.

The move comes after market research carried out in this region, South-East England, France, Germany, Japan and the US revealed that beer and football are seen as the North-East's best assets abroad.

Dr John Bridge, One NorthEast chairman, said: 'We need to change the way we perceive ourselves as a region. If only we could demonstrate the total belief in our ability to win on the football field - in our everyday lives.

'That is the passion we need to change outdated perceptions in this region.

'We must start talking ourselves up, believing that we are a match for other regions in this country and across the world.'

Paul Novak, regional secretary of the Trade Unions Congress, believes that the new initiative is good news for the area.

He said: 'It is important to get out there and sell a positive image of the North-East.

'Obviously that has to be underpinned by reality. It is important that alongside that £2m, there is investment in things that really matter such as education, jobs and health.'