A POPULAR board game came to life yesterday to help teach numeracy to North-East schoolchildren.

Actors playing jail keepers, top hats and Scottie dogs took their places on a giant Monopoly board to help launch Newcastle's Maths 2000 Challenge.

The giant game board, on display yesterday at Newcastle United's St James' Park, is part of a range of activities developed for loan to city schools to help make maths lessons lively and fun.

Pupils from the city's St Joseph's RC School enjoyed the fun and games yesterday, which have been put together by Newcastle City Council numeracy advisors.

Pupils are also being encouraged to use the Internet to solve maths problems.