As the Government prepared to introduce a test to assess immigrants' British knowledge, Deborah Johnson puts several Britons on the spot to see how they fared.

FOREIGNERS who apply to become British citizens will have to swot up on British regional accents, the Church of England and the legal system, it was revealed yesterday.

From today, everyone who applies for naturalisation will have to sit a compulsory "Britishness test," which requires knowledge on a variety of topics. However, candidates will not be tested on British history.

The test - called Life in the UK - will consist of 24 multiple-choice questions and can be taken on a computer at any of 90 centres in the UK. Applicants have to score about 75 per cent to pass the 45-minute exam, which costs £34.

Candidates can re-sit the exam as many times as they want, unlike the procedure in countries such as the Netherlands, which operates a "three-strikes-and-you're-out" rule.

Plans are to be unveiled for refugees who have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK to sit the test - but anyone claiming asylum in Britain will be exempt.

Immigration Minister Tony McNulty did not believe the exam would lead to a fall in the numbers applying for citizenship, which topped 110,000 last year.

He said: "The measures we are introducing today will help new citizens to gain a greater appreciation of the civic and political dimension of British citizenship and, in particular, to understanding the rights and responsibilities that come with the acquisition of British citizenship."

Danny Sriskandarajah, of the Institute for Public Policy Research, said it was a good idea, "as long as this is something that enables people and empowers people, and doesn't fall into some ready-made gate-keeping exercise".

Questions in the test are expected to be similar to the one devised by The Northern Echo, which received a positive response from shoppers in Darlington yesterday, who hailed it as "a good idea".

However, problem questions included names and dates of saints' days and the legal age for buying tobacco.

Gordon Dryden, from Scotland, was the only person from the 11 questioned by The Northern Echo to score top marks on the quiz, answering all ten questions correctly.

Mr Dryden, 41, who has worked abroad during his time in the Armed Forces, said the test was a good idea.

"It's only right that when you move to a country, you read up on it, and know something about it," he said.

"As long as the people we are getting are people who are bringing something to this country, that is all the better. This test could help to stop any Tom, Dick or Harry coming into this country."

Caroline Coleman, 40, did not know 112 was an emergency number, and scored nine out of ten.

She said: "It's a good idea that there is some kind of measure to make sure people know something about where they live," she said. "It's important you read up on a country, to see what their rules and regulations are."

Brian Park and his wife Kathleen, from Darlington, got seven questions correct from the ten.

"I'm not sure what to think about it," said Mr Park. "But it did seem quite strange that you can sit it as many times as you want until you pass."

Ashrafur Choudhury and brother-in-law Saabbir, from Darlington, scored six.

Ashrafur said: "Some of them I didn't know, like the saints' days, and the Church of England. Six is quite good - I'm pleased we passed."

Ann Timmins, from Darlington, also scored six.

"There are a few tricky things on there to think of, off the top of your head, like the saints' days. And 112 is an emergency number? I didn't know that," she said.