NEWCASTLE United owner Mike Ashley has become the North-East’s only billionaire, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

The 46-year-old divorcee’s personal wealth grew by £378m to £1,268m last year, the highly-respected guide to the super-wealthy claims, making him the richest person in the North-East by £830m.

Ashley, who paid £134m for the Magpies in 2007, has benefited from the recovery of his Sports Direct chain, with his personal stake now worth £812m.

Ashley is the country’s 52nd richest person, up from 65th last year.

Newcastle-based department store owners Mark Fenwick and family held onto second place for the North-East, with their fortune growing by £18m to £438m.

Darlington-based entrepreneur, Dragons’ Den star and Northern Echo guest editor Duncan Bannatyne’s personal wealth grew by more than a third to £430m last year, handing him third place for the region, 186th nationally.

The Duke of Northumberland, cables and property tycoons Alastair and Michael Powell, Middlesbrough FC chairman Steve Gibson and property guru Stuart Monk and his family all increased their wealth to finish in the region’s top ten.

The Duke is worth £315m, the Powells £214m, Mr Gibson, who made his money in haulage, has a personal fortune of £135m, and the Monk family is worth £131m.

The former frontman of rock band The Police, Sting, is said to be worth £180m, placing him 381st nationally, while software tycoon Graham Wylie is 393rd, with £175m.

Sir Peter Vardy and family, who built their fortune through car sales, are worth £150m.

The 23rd annual Sunday Times Rich List, the definitive guide to wealth in Britain and Ireland, lists the 1,000 richest people and families in the land. It is based on identifiable wealth such as land, property, art, racehorses and shares and excludes bank accounts, to which researchers had no access.

Compiled by Philip Beresford and edited by Ian Coxon, it will be published in this weekend’s Sunday Times.