THE third Estates Gazette Rich List is published today and features some high-fliers from the North-East.

The list contains the richest 296 people in the country - who have a combined total wealth of £56bn.

Qualification for the list is a personal wealth of £28m.

It has been compiled by Dr Philip Beresford and Dominic Prince, who produce The Sunday Times Rich List.

The richest person in our region is William Rankin and family, with a wealth of £75m.

Mr Rankin is chairman of Hanro, a family-owned Newcastle-based property group.

Next in our region, is Robert Dickinson and family, with £65m. The deputy lieutenant of Northumberland and a major figure in the North-East business community, Mr Dickinson sits on the board of numerous local companies, including Grainger, of which he is chairman.

Stuart Monk and his family follow with a wealth of £62m, placing them at 180 in the list.

Mr Monk, 56, is managing director of Jomast Property and Finance, a Stockton-based property company with interests in construction.

The last person to be featured on the list from our region is Peter Stephenson and family with £42m.

Mr Stephenson, 58, made the news last year with plans to dismantle four redundant navy ships at his Hartlepool breakers' yard. The plans are currently on hold.

Although all four of these North-East families have an enviable amount of money, they have a long way to go to beat the Duke of Westminster who tops the list with £6,600m.