UP TO 10,000 people streamed into Britain's newest art gallery at the weekend after it opened its doors to the public for the first time.

The first visitors, who queued up at a minute past midnight on Friday, had three hours to get a look around the former Baltic flour mill on the Gateshead bank of the River Tyne before it shut, opening again at 10am.

There were fears that the late opening time could attract rowdy revellers from across the water at Newcastle's trendy Quayside bars, rather than sober art-lovers, but those present behaved perfectly, a gallery spokesman said.

The spectacular £46m development, which took eight years to complete, opened as a blue laser beam was shot into the air.

The shell of the building has been retained, but inside it provides space for art installations, workshops and a cinema, as well as a shop and restaurants.

One of the main attractions is a replica of the Tyne Bridge, made from Meccano by the American artist Chris Burden, whose mini-version is aligned against a backdrop of the real landmark.

Visitors also headed for the installation of large gongs which people are encouraged to hit.

Baltic curator Vicky Lewis said: "We have been overjoyed by the response.

"There was a lovely mixture of people at the opening, including a little girl who brought her teddy bear along, because she had obviously been to bed first.

"A lot of people had been out drinking, but most had come out specially to go to the Baltic."

The first members of the public to get in were Tom and Linda Patterson, who were presented with a book signed by the artists on display to mark the occasion.

The weekend's events included Japanese artist Tatsumi Orimoto leading a procession of 30 people wearing loaves of bread on their heads.

The opening weekend did not go without its hitches. One of the lifts was out of action because of broken glass, while a second failed for about 20 minutes before it was repaired.

The centre, part of a wider cultural explosion on the south bank of the River Tyne, is expected to play a major part in Newcastle and Gateshead's joint bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Economists have calculated the development in a once-rundown area of the borough will create 500 jobs and bring in £5m a year.