Newcastle/Gateshead has won a BBC viewers poll to select the European Capital of Culture for 2008.

In a programme entitled Clash of the Cities broadcast from 1990's City of Culture, Glasgow, viewers could vote by email, digital satellite tv or email for their favourite amongst the six shortlisted cities of Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle and Oxford.

Of the 165,980 votes cast, Newcastle/Gateshead took the most at 52,241, closely followed by Liverpool with 51,414.

Behind Liverpool came Birmingham with 20,532 votes; Bristol, 17,115; Cardiff, 13,834 and Oxford, 10,752.

Each city had to put their case for the award with the help of a two-minute documentary presented by a local celebrity.

Robson Green represented Newcastle/Gateshead; Ricky Tomlinson, Liverpool; Meera Syal, Birmingham; Stephanie Cole, Bristol; Aled Jones, Cardiff and tv chef Sophie Grigson, Oxford.

The final decision as to which city represents the British bid will be made by PM Tony Blair in June.

Graz, Austria, is European Capital of Culture for 2003 and will be followed by Geneva in 2004; Cork, in the Irish Republic, in 2005; Patras, Greece, in 2006 and Luxembourg in 2007. Details: www.news.bbc.co.uk