SMELLING salts at the ready girls . . . here are the North’s Top 20 hunks. After a month of scouring the region for the fittest men, we’re pleased to unveil the Manhunt finalists. It was a tough task putting together the shortlist, but the women on our judging panel were more than happy to rise to the challenge last week. The judges — Drivetime presenter Sally Hudson, the Breakfast Show’s Karen Wight, Galaxy’s deputy programme controller Tory Miller, programmes assistant Claire Arnold, Lesley Middlemiss Lister of Tyne Tees Models and photographer Terry Blackburn — were locked away in the downstairs bar of the Living Room on Monday. Three hours later, they emerged with the finalists they were putting through. Tyne Tees Models boss Lesley said: “I was really surprised with the number of entrants as it’s always hard to get guys to enter competitions. “However, there were some great choices and I may even be interested in recruiting some of the guys for some modelling work. “Either way I’m looking forward to seeing who makes it into the final calendar.” These gorgeous guys have beaten more than 2000 other hopefuls vying to become pin-up boys . . . but only 12 can go on to star in the Galaxy FM Manhunt 2008 calendar. Sunday Sun readers and Galaxy FM listeners now need to visit the website at www.galaxynortheast.co.uk/manhunt to vote for their favourite guy. Voting is online only. Over the next few weeks our 20 finalists will also be out and about meeting the public and trying to win votes. Among them will be twins Paul and Craig Shepherd, 23, of Billingham, Teesside, who already have experience as calendar boys. The sporty pair submitted a photo which also featured in this year’s Billingham Rugby club calendar, in which they appear completely naked with strategically placed rugby balls to spare their blushes. Paul, an electrical engineer for Stockton council, said: “We were jointly Mr April for the calendar . . . and everyone else was pretty much in the buff for the other months too. “We’re really looking forward to the next stage of the competition and hopefully lots of people will vote for us.” Another hopeful is Matt Heley, 27, of Kingston Park, Newcastle, whose snap was sent in by his girlfriend Louise. Matt, who is taking a teacher training course at Durham University, said: “She joked about sending it in, but I was really shocked when she actually did. I was surprised to get this far but now that I’m here I’d love to take part in the calendar.” The final 12 who have made the calendar will be revealed in the Sunday Sun in four weeks’ time. Meanwhile, here are some snaps of the hot hunk finalists. You can vote for your favourite now at www.galaxynortheast.co.uk/manhunt | 
