The Sunderland Echo is inviting radio listeners to outwit their subs in the art of headline writing.

The Wearside daily has teamed up with local commercial radio station Magic to run a weekly headline competition.

Every Friday morning radio presenter and Echo columinst Steve Colman gives listeners a teaser from one of the day’s stories and challenges them to compose a witty and fitting headline.

Some of the entries are then printed in Saturday’s Echo and Stephen and the editorial team decide which is best – their own or a listener entry.

So far the scores stand at 11 to 8 in favour of the radio listeners.

Deputy editor Richard Ord said: “It gives us chance to say what’s in the paper that day and it’s a nice way to work hand-in-hand with the station.

“It’s a great marketing tool and gets the readers’ names in the paper.

“It’s just for fun, no prizes, but it’s causing much consternation among the subs.

“The idea was a joint effort as we were looking for something that would feature in both the website, newspaper and on the radio station.

“We’re looking to work together (with the radio station) on numerous projects.”