A BID to bring the next Tall Ships Race to the North-East has been submitted by council chiefs.

Hartlepool Borough Council officials could find out as early as next month whether they have been successful in their ambitious attempt.

Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council have joined forces to submit a rival bid to the organisers, Sail Training International.

Tyneside hosted the world-renowned race last year, but 37 of the vessels stopped off in Hartlepool the previous weekend, and 175,000 people flocked to the town to see them.

Tourism bosses envisage as many as half-a-million people would visit Hartlepool if the town was chosen to launch the race in 2010.

Other places vying to be hosts are Aberdeen, the Shetland Islands and Leith, outside Edinburgh.

The Hartlepool bid document contains introductions from the mayor and chief executive of the council as well as testimonials from a host of people, including Cian Pereira, the shore manager of the HM bark Endeavour Foundation.

He said: "We rolled into Hartlepool in the summer of 2004 for three days while their Maritime Festival was under way. Our experience was first class."

The crew of the Ocean Youth Trust Ireland vessel, Lord Rank, also praised the people of the town after their boat lost a propeller during its approach to the port at midnight for last year's stay.

Within hours, RNLI divers had assessed the damage, the vessel had been lifted out the water and two local chandlers had provided replacement props.

Officials from Sail Training International will be in Hartlepool next Thursday to see what the town has to offer.

Mayor Stuart Drummond said: "Hartlepool is a town with a very passionate maritime tradition dating back hundreds of years."