And at the third stroke the Tyne will be... Cheryl takes on Speaking Clock role.

Byline: Dan Warburton

POP Princess Cheryl Cole may regularly top lists for the best-looking and best-dressed celebrities.

But it will be her distinctive Tyneside tones that could help draw in the cash.

The Girls Aloud singer is lending her North East accent to be the voice of the BT Speaking Clock in a bid to raise funds for Comic Relief.

Having scaled the side of Mount Kilimanjaro last week, Cheryl is one of five stars to take over the telephone service.

She flew home from Africa yesterday after scaling the 19,340ft mountain in a gruelling five-day trek. And she will now be giving out accurate times until March 23.

The other celebrities who have pledged their support for the BT service are Chris Moyles, Fearne Cotton, Kimberley Walsh and Gary Barlow. Last night Mrs Cole said her massive hike had been one of the hardest things she has ever had to overcome.

She said: "The Red Nose Climb was one of the toughest things I've ever done, but I know that it wasn't as tough as the situations faced by millions of people living difficult lives every day."

In its 73-year history, only four people have had the privilege of being the voice of the Speaking Clock.

Telephonist Miss Jane Cain was the first voice in July 1936 and lasted until 1963.

She was succeeded by Pat Simmons, a supervisor in a London telephone exchange before Brian Cobby of Withdean exchange, Brighton, became the first male voice in 1985.

Mr Cobby, an actor by profession before he joined BT, was selected after recording the "5-4-3-2-1 Thunderbirds are go" slogan earlier in his career.

And on Thursday the service will be taken over by a mystery guest voice for a special appearance. The voice will take control for just three days, so organisers are urging people to dial 123 to find out who it is.

For every call made, BT will donate 10p to Comic Relief from a BT landline between now and March 23.

The funds raised by Comic Relief will help change the lives of children from across the UK and Africa.

Take That star Gary Barlow said: "The charity drive is helping to make a massive difference to the lives of thousands of people across the UK and Africa."

Meanwhile Beth Courtier, head of BT's charity programme, said: "The Speaking Clock is a national institution that has been running for 72 years providing accurate time checks to more than 50 million people a year. We're delighted to be working with so many celebrities to help raise money for Comic Relief."

The Red Nose Climb was one of the toughest things I have ever done

CAPTION(S):

DOING HER BIT FOR CHARITY Pop princess Cheryl Cole.