Children grab a pizza the on-line action at the Echo Arena Liverpool

Mar 8 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

CHILDREN country-wide have been running around a virtual Liverpool this week, protecting the city from a pizza wielding villain.

The game, called Run!, on the website of children’s TV channel CBBC, shows characters saving Liverpool from Orwell, who plans to ruin the city’s Culture celebrations and turn the new ACC Liverpool into the world’s biggest pizza pan.

It is an interactive tournament and the first of its kind to be used by a TV company.

Part live multi-player game, part animated story, the game will run for three more weeks, with a different city every seven days.

Tom McDonnell, owner of production company Monterosa, who created the game, is from Birkenhead and is pleased Liverpool has taken centre stage.

He said: “Liverpool landmarks feature in the game and the backdrop is the skyline.

“The theme has sort of taken the form of a building site, which seems to be quite relevant as the city goes through some big changes.”

The game will run throughout Sport Relief and is linked with the campaign.