Crowds of people converged on Hartlepool's waterfront to officially welcome the Tall Ships Races to the North East today.

The four-day event opened to the public at 10am, while the remaining ships made their way into the Victoria Harbour and Hartlepool Marina after departing from Den Helder in The Netherlands.

Among those on board the Wylde Swan, a Dutch-registered ship build in 1920, was Hartlepool schoolgirl Anya Brown.

Anya, who is also a member of her school's sailing club, said the Tall Ships Experience was "really exciting" and a dream come true.

She was one of 40 sailing trainees aboard 37 vessels arriving in Hartlepool.

Crowds started arriving early this morning to view the ships at the huge site. Although a quiet day was expected, race organisers reported queues of people waiting to get in.

The official opening ceremony took place at 5pm, kicking off a further three day of events.

Highlights tomorrow include the popular crew parade from 4.30pm – while on Saturday night, acts including The Magic Numbers and The Wailers will entertain crowds on The X-Energy Stage.

The festival will culminate with the 'grand departure', including the spectacular Parade of Sail, on Sunday.

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

This is the second time Hartlepool have hosted the Tall Ships, the last time being in 2010 and the first time the ships have docked in the North East since 2018 when they came to Sunderland.

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

It will be 2025 before the UK will see the tall ships again, as they are confirmed to make a stop in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Here are some pictures from the first day of the event – can you spot yourself?

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

 

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool

The Northern Echo: Tall Ships Races 2023 in Hartlepool