A CHARITY is asking businesses to put forward football teams to take part in an all-star penalty shoot out competition.

No Strings, which uses puppets to teach children lifesaving messages in developing countries, is looking for 50 firms in the North-East to put forward their best strikers to take part.

Newcastle Falcons fitness coach Steve Black and some of the players are backing the event, along with well-known former footballers Peter Beardsley and Gary Bennett.

Celebrities taking part include a team from Coronation Street and an actors' squad captained by Dave MacCreedy with Hugo Speer and Neil Morrissey.

No Strings was founded by Newcastle humanitarian aid worker Johnie McGlade, who teamed up Kathy Mullen and Michael Frith, the co-creators of The Muppet Show.

They develop the culturally sensitive puppet characters to reflect relevant storylines in countries like Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

No Strings chairman of trustees Mr Morrissey is hosting the event on November 17 at David Lloyd, a health club in South Gosforth, Newcastle.

He said: "Puppets have an amazing effect on children. They're engaging and unthreatening, bridging the gap between child and adult and they're fun.

"Taking part in this brilliant event we're organising in Newcastle means we can go on to set up new projects in places like Africa.

"Please join us. It's a great way of spending a fun afternoon with colleagues or clients and the £500 entry charge per team will go a long way to advance the work we do."

To get involved call No Strings on 07708 589 686.