THE owner of a Ferris wheel on the banks of the River Tyne has insisted the attraction has been a success, despite reports of it being a flop with visitors.

The 196ft-high attraction, between the Baltic Arts Centre and the Sage building, in Gateshead, was a hit during the Tall Ships Race week, but numbers have dropped since then.

Many visitors said the temporary wheel was too expensive, charging £5.50 for adults and £3.50 for children's rides.

The World Tourist Attraction, which owns the ride, said the fall in numbers since the Tall Ships Race was to be expected.

A spokesman said: "We are quite pleased with the amount of people who have been on the wheel and have not been disappointed at all.

"The wheel was installed knowing it would mainly be busy during the Tall Ships and the Great North Run.

"Business in Gateshead has been parallel with that in Birmingham, and when it was in Manchester there were busy days and quiet days."

The wheel, worth about £3.5m, has 42 gondolas, each capable of carrying eight people. It also has 21 steel spokes and 50,000 lightbulbs.

Councillor John McElroy, of Gateshead Council, urged people to take advantage of the wheel.

He said: "The wheel is in a unique spot and gives one-off views of the area.

"When the wheel leaves, the spot where it is standing will be cleared to make way for leisure facilities, so this is people's last chance to appreciate the views."