NO longer is it a case of Monopoly players buying Fenchurch Street station or Pall Mall, now they can have the building of Worcester solicitors Hallmarks or even the city football club in St George's Lane, which considering it wants to move might not be a bad idea.

The Worcester locations on the ever-popular board game - including the Worcester News and Berrow's Worcester Journal offices - were introduced earlier this year when a new version was announced.

Now some of the companies involved have joined together to provide a giant version for schoolchildren.

"The giant board is to be handed over to the Duckworth Trust," said Julian Powell of Hallmarks. "Giant pieces will be created so the game can be played during the school holidays when their centre will be open to the children of Worcester."

Representatives from Hallmarks, the Glasshouse, Premier Places, English Mutual and Worcester City FC met at St George's Lane to cement their ongoing friendly relationships.

All are featured on the Worcester Monopoly board, all parties having been invited to take a square on the board to celebrate their status.

The Worcester edition of the board features 33 landmarks and businesses and is already proving a hit in the run-up to Christmas. So much so the manufacturers are already running a second print.

At the same time, Worcestershire Property Service has asked more than 200 commercial property agents to donate at least £5 to charity by sending a 'Chance' cardstyle invitation and a mocked-up Monopoly £5 note in lieu of a Christmas card.

In return for their donation, agents will be entered into a draw, with four lucky winners selected to play each other on the Worcester edition of the board game to decide the region's top property tycoon.

The winner gets a luxury weekend for two at Dormy House Hotel, Broadway, recently named Small Hotel of the Year.

They will also earn bragging rights as the top dog on the Worcestershire property scene. Second place will earn a bottle of champagne donated by Rosebank Wines.

With about 200 agents invited to take part, the WPS team is hoping to be able to contribute £1,000 to Acorns Children's Hospice in Bath Road, Worcester.

Pat Prosser, from the WPS - the county council-run venue finder for businesses looking for premises - said: "Rather then sending out the usual card and pen, we were inspired to do something a bit different this Christmas.

"As the Worcester edition of Monopoly recently came out - and people will be buying and selling some of the county's leading landmarks as part of the game over Christmas - we thought it would be great fun to see how expert property agents fared.

"But there is a serious side to it. We also want to raise as much money for Acorns as we can, so I'd urge all our agents to help this fantastic cause."

Once selected, the four agents will battle it out on Thursday, December 14, at the hospice, under the scrutiny of a panel of stewards from the economic development unit at Worcestershire County Council. The new edition of Monopoly, featuring Worcestershire's leading landmarks such as the cathedral, cricket ground and the CrownGate shopping sentre, was officially launched on Thursday, November 2.