EUROPE’S largest truck festival is expected to return to the region next year following bumper crowds on its inaugural visit to the North-East.

Truckfest organisers hailed the two-day event as a resounding success after hundreds flocked to Croft Circuit, near Darlington, to the spectacle involving more than 680 trucks, many with customised livery and interiors.

Highlights included car crushing displays by monster trucks Bigfoot 17 and Thunderbolt, showcases from Super Trucks and American Trucks, and exhibitions by freestyle motorcross team UK FMX.

Stars making appearances were Canadian TV’s Ice Road Trucker Rick Yemm, BBC Radio 2’s Sally Traffic and Coronation Street actress Katherine Kelly, who plays Becky Grainger in the soap.

It is the first time the event has been staged in the North- East.

It is hoped the festival, along with the Modified and Performance Car Show, due to be held at Croft on Sunday, July 19, will help to maintain the circuit’s viability and inject tens of thousands of pounds into the local economy.

The circuit hit the headlines earlier this year when it had to cancel events and pay costs and damages after it lost a court battle over noise complaints from residents.

Robert Limming, director of Live Promotions Events, which organises the festival, said it had been low-noise.

“It has been fabulous. We have long wanted to come up to the North-East, and we have finally had the chance,”

he said.

“We’ve not yet counted exactly how many people attended, but there were more than we expected.

The weather’s been glorious and I thought people might have gone to the coast – but they came here instead. We would really like to come back next year.

“Croft Circuit has been great for it. The staff here have been really fantastic and it is a great facility.

“It has all gone very, very well and everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves.”