RICHARD FOSTER took his three children on a quest to discover the secret of life

SCIENCE is fun - that's the message of an attraction for all the family that combines cutting edge technology with simply having a good time. Life Interactive World, which was officially opened by the Queen last December, does not lack ambition - it strives to teach its visitors the secret of life.

Images of the elegant double helix structure of DNA, which was discovered by the Cambridge scientists James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, abound at Life Interactive World.

And that's because the history of life is written in the DNA code that all creatures have used for nearly four billion years as the basic building blocks of life.

The fast and funny Secret Of Life Show, featuring the antics of Prof Smart, his assistant Brain and Darwin the supercomputer, give members of the audience an entertaining introduction into the mind-boggling power of the DNA code and how its different variations can create a dog, a daffodil or a dinosaur.

Negotiating the River Of Life enables you to travel back in time more than four billion years to meet your ancestors, while Cell City shows what makes you unique and how your body fights diseases and kills germs.

The Sensory Zoo challenges you to put your senses to the test. You can brave the disorientation of the spinning tunnel, meet QB the giant virtual pet and solve a murder mystery.

The Brain Show provides a stimulating glimpse into the way your brain works by bringing to life a range of everyday actions and emotions.

The cheeky Tunnel Of Love takes a light-hearted and amusing look at what attracts living creatures to each other, while the Life Arcade gives you the opportunity to hear the roar of a football crowd after slotting home a penalty. Virtual beach volleyball is also great fun.

My three children - Sophie, 13, Daniel, 11, and Rachel, nine - were fascinated as they saw Jack develop from a single cell to a baby in a beautifully-filmed 3D show.

But they most enjoyed the Crazy Motion Ride, which was basically a thrilling eight-minute adrenaline rush.

This wide-screen film, viewed from moving seats, threw you into an exhilarating cocktail, the potent ingredients of which were surfing, skating, rock climbing, football, bungee jumping and crazy driving. I lost count of the number of times we were almost killed on a zany taxi ride to hospital. We were shaken and stirred.

Life Interactive World features two cafs and a gift shop.

It is only two minutes walk from Newcastle Central Station, so it is advisable to let the train take the strain when travelling there. There are frequent GNER services between York and Newcastle.

And, if you are lucky like us, you might meet a celebrity on the train. My children spotted the popular TV gardener Charlie Dimmock and each asked for her autograph. She duly obliged with genuine charm. She was travelling back to London after climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland to raise money for the British Epilepsy Association.

Fact file:

Admission prices: adults £6.95; child (five to 16 years) £4.50; under-fives free; concessions £5.50; family ticket (four people) £19.95. Opening times: 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday; 11am to 6pm, Sunday. Allow at least three hours for your visit.

Parking: 500 parking spaces available at nearby Cattle Market and Railway Street car parks.

Bookings hotline: 0191 243 8223

Customer information: 0191 243 8210

Train information: 0845 7484950.