CHILDREN'S television fav-ourite Bob The Builder is being tipped to outdo some of the world's top music acts with his tour which comes to the North-East next year.

Tickets for a seven-show, five-day run at the Telewest Arena, in Newcastle, in March, go on sale at 9am today and are expected to sell quickly, particularly in the run-up to Christmas.

Starting at the Sheffield Arena on February 22, there will be 65 shows before the tour closes at Birmingham NEC on April 28, following on from the character's chart success with Bob the Builder and Mambo No 5.

Bob will be hosting more shows than major pop stars, such as Robbie Williams.

His tour follows that of fellow children's TV favourites, the Tweenies, who are at the venue in February.

Similar tours, such as Disney On Ice's Toy Story, which visits the venue next month, have shown how children's shows draw big ticket sales.

A spokeswoman said: "Pop shows tend to be anything from the age of four up to grannies, but the kiddies are the best people to make you put your hand in your pocket, and it is a superb show.

"If it's anything like the Tweenies, it will sell very quickly."

The Newcastle shows run from Wednesday to Sunday, March 13 to 17.

Weekday shows are at 6pm, while Saturday performances are at 10.30am and 2pm, and Sunday's at 2pm and 5.30pm. A 24-hour credit card hotline is available on 0191-401 8000.