IMAGINE sitting back in a luxury car, sipping champagne, while your driver takes you on a tour of the North-East's top tourist sites.

Well that is just the service being offered by H&R Executive Cars, which is doing its best to promote the region as it continues its recovery from the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

The company, a member of the Northumbria Tourist Board, is the only one of its kind in the region.

It is run by directors Alan Rogers and Stewart Hayes, from their base in Low Fell, Gateshead.

Mr Rogers said: "H&R are very proud to offer executive tours for corporate companies, VIPs and the general public.

"We offer tours to the North-East's most historic and beautiful locations and we are doing our best to fight the decline in the region and bring the tourists flocking back to this beautiful region."

He said: "When most tourists are staying away from Northumbria due to foot-and-mouth we are advertising the area and promoting the natural and historic sites it has to offer."

Mr Hayes said: "The service we are offering is very specialised, chauffeuring VIPs and corporates as well as the general public in top-of-the-range Jaguars and Daimlers."

The chauffeurs themselves are not just drivers. They are local historians, who dress in the full chauffeur's uniform to conduct the tours. "The food and champagne is provided by ourselves, but there is the option of stopping at local pubs and restaurants if that is what the client requires," said Mr Rogers.

He added: "Business has been good recently, but not without incident. We had one very eccentric millionaire who insisted on bringing his pet tortoise on the tour with him. While the owner went for lunch, the chauffeur was left to look after the tortoise, which included taking it for a walk, at the owner's request."

Tours offered by the company include:

* Northumbrian Coastal Experience, taking in Seahouses, the Farne Islands, Bamburgh Castle and the Grace Darling Museum;

* Historic York, including visits to the Minster and the Yorvik Viking Museum;

* A tour through County Durham, including Durham City, Auckland Castle, Escombe Church, Raby Church, Staindrop village, Middleton in Teesdale and High Force;

* Kielder Water and Forest Park;

* Penrith to Corbridge, recommended by the AA magazine as the best drive in the world;

* A tour for railway enthusiasts, taking in the Bowes Railway and a visit to see George Stephenson's famous Rocket;

* A visit to the industrial heritage of the region, including a trip down a lead mine and a visit to a colliery village;

* The St Cuthbert's tour, following in the footsteps of the saint, from Holy Island to Durham City, taking in the Angel of the North on the way;

* Hadrian to Beatrix, which travels along the Roman wall to the Lake District, finishing up at the Beatrix Potter Museum;

* Beamish Museum tour, spending a whole day at the famous outdoor attraction, seeing how people in the North used to live.

H&R also offers shoppers trips to the region's most famous shopping sites, including the Gateshead MetroCentre, the Royal Quays mall on North Tyneside, Jacksons Landing at Hartlepool, and Durham and Middlesbrough centres.

Mr Rogers added: "While these are the essential ingredients of our tours, there are others.

Most important is the fact that all our tours are designed around the needs of the individual client.

"We can cater for groups from just one to more than 50, proving that we are much more than just a chauffeur company."

For more information about the company, or a list of the tours and prices, contact H&R Executive Tours on 0191-410 0111.

Alternatively, email the company at hr@executivecars.fsnet.co.uk or check out the website at www.hr-executivecars.co.uk