Officials from Singapore's games, TV and mobile companies have visited Coventry as part of a tour of the West Midlands aimed at encouraging links with the Far East.

The event at Coventry's Technocentre showcased the region's developing 'serious games' industry.

Serious gaming uses games technology and entertainment techniques to help users learn new skills or explore new processes and designs in near-reality.

Organised by Coventry University Enterprises and involving regional development agency Advantage West Midlands and UK Trade & Investment, the tour has set up links between universities here and in Singapore.

The West Midlands is leading the European development in serious games and regional companies have already secured contracts with the Ministry of Defence.

The emerging sector is being built on the region's well established games expertise, led by companies like Codemasters and the UK's largest independent studio Blitz Games, based in Leamington Spa.

Microsoft-owned Rare and Vivendi- owned Swordfish are also based in the region, along with more than 160 interactive media firms. AWM is planning investment in the coming years as part of the Screen, Image and Sound Cluster's strategy to support the development of the digital media sector.