The first two Harry Potter films were shot in Northumberland

Lord Puttnam, who has produced some of Britain's best-loved movies, said the region needed to get its stories onto film and television screens.

He was speaking at a celebration marking the first year of Northern Film & Media (NFM) on Tyneside.

The organisation, which is funded in part by lottery cash from the Film Council, aims to attract film and TV production to the North East.

It now has ambitious plans for a �6m film and television production fund for the North East.

Lord Puttnam said the region needed capitalise on its success in attracting major productions like the Harry Potter films.

He said: "Content creation, including crucially, digital content, remains key.

We have already invested over �2.3m in over 400 projects in the North East Tom Harvey, Northern Film & Media

"With this in mind, I am entirely supportive of plans for a film and television production fund for the North East, which would help this region to get its stories on our film and television screens.

"Over the last year, NFM has started to prove that it can make a real difference across the region."

Tom Harvey, chief executive of NFM, added: "We have already invested over �2.3m in over 400 projects in the North East.

"We've attracted over 100 productions to shoot here resulting in 32,000 working days for local crew and actors and local spending worth another �2m.

"This fund would bring in productions that would generate �28m of spend on local crew and facilities, it would also create hundreds of jobs.

"But the important point is that it would mean local writers, directors and producers would get their projects made and get local stories onto screens all over the world."

Lord Puttnam added: "There is a real opportunity for this region to really ensure that the brightest and the best, whatever their background, have an opportunity to participate in an industry that is brimming with opportunity."