A national conference, aimed at bringing design and technology alive in the classroom, is taking place on Teesside tomorrow.

BBC presenter, and king of the "swingometer" Peter Snow will be compering the Young Foresight conference at the Tall Trees Hotel in Yarm.

The event will include a battle between industrialists and school children from Dame Allan's School in Newcastle, St Thomas More School in Blaydon and Kings School, Tynemouth.

The conference will also make international links for the Foresight programme through Chris Stapleton, a research director from the University of Florida, who is travelling from the US to speak at the event.

Mr Stapleton is director for entertainment research at the Institute for Simulation and Training and instructor of interactive entertainment for the University of Florida's Film and Digital Media Programme.

Other speakers include chairman of the Baltic Art Centre and managing partner of Red Box Design, Alan Smith along with design and technology education expert, David Barlex.

The Young Foresight programme in the North-East is funded by the Regional Development Agency One NorthEast and is organised Foresight North East, which is operated by technology transfer company, RTC, based in Sunderland.

Through Young Foresight, Key stage three pupils work closely with industry mentors to anticipate the trends and products of the future.

Participants gain direct experience of the skills needed to create a successful new product or service and also learn business skills including innovation, creativity, teamwork and communication.

Michael Walker from RTC is part of the North-East Foresight team.

He said: "We are delighted that the region has secured this launch for Young Foresight nationally.

"The initiative has generated enormous interest from both schools and industry throughout the region, and is proving to be an excellent vehicle through which to deliver sustainable business links.

"The motivation and commitment from those who have already gone through the programme is a real tribute to the sense of entrepreneurial spirit that we are aiming to develop in the North-East."