A luxury break and £500 cash are up for grabs in a new stocks and shares game on a newspaper website.

North East titles The Journal and Evening Gazette are offering a virtual money pot of £100,000 to each player as they bid to make the most profit in the trading game Taking Stock.

The game, which is available on www.nebusiness.co.uk, uses some of the latest online technology and allows players to wheel and deal in stocks and shares using real data from the London Stock Exchange.

Virtual investors can be as cavalier as they wish with their money but have just three months to prove they know how to play the market.

The winner will receive the healthy cash prize and a luxury break at Matfen Hall, in Northumberland.

Companies across the North East region are being encouraged to get involved and set up their own internal leagues as well as compete with rival organisations.

Journal editor Brian Aitken said: "Taking Stock is a great fun way of playing the stock market.

"While investing in stocks and shares has not always been a laughing matter in recent months, we hope this game will prove that it's not impossible to back a winner and we are expecting some tough competition at the top of the league."