Wow, amazing ... and lots of you want it to return to Hartlepool

We asked the question of Mail readers as the region reached the six month slot for the return of The Tall Ships Races to the North East.

They come to Sunderland this July but back in 2010, Hartlepool’s leg of the races attracted 970,000 visitors and nearly 60 ships.

Was it worth it and would you have them back?

Paul Moore Snr said: “Of course it was. We’ve had nothing like it before or since ..Who cares if it cost a few bob. No one’s ever had a party for nothing.”

Steve Gibbon described it as an “excellent weekend” while Richard Cowie said: “Need to bring it back.”

Gaz Payne enthused: “I honestly thought it was too big for our town to put a show on but how wrong was I! Went down three times and it was unreal! Well done everyone!”

Sharon Forster thought it was a “great weekend” but she added: “Only thing that spoilt it was the council and all the yellow lines on the road that was not necessary. Was lovely to walk from Headland to marina through docks. Ocean Colour Scene was good too.”

Julie Knight thought it was excellent and Karen Thompson said: “Brilliant weekend!”

Martin Gershman suggested: “Utterly brilliant. The docks should be used more for this sort of thing.”

Julie Mccarthy said: “Was pleasantly surprised how well it was organised and went ...we never saw any organising then the gates opened and WOW ... amazing.”

Dawn Robinson told us: “It was brill” while Philippa Holmes Nuttall said: “Excellent weekend ...... we need to bring it back. Hartlepool was far better than Blyth.”

Similar fans of the Hartlepool event included Shirley Carruthers, Gemma Sabey Sharpe, and Jan Cameron who said: “Loved it......... would love it to come back.”

And Paddy Horsley added: “Wonderful weekend. It seemed like everyone who ever lived here returned for that event. Such a fantastic, happy reunion.”

Some suggested other former Hartlepool favourites were worth a mention. Jane Sawdon said: “It was one weekend but the fantastic yearly show was the Grayfields show.”

Peter Moody and Ian Currell were among those to reminisce on Dock Rock.

Lee A Walton said: “They used to do the Hartlepool Marina Festival every Summer which was great as well. Then they just stopped it.”

Others, though, hit out at the cost of the Tall Ships Races Hartlepool leg.

Sadie Waite suggested it might have been “Hartlepools biggest debt?” while David Wheelhouse said: “Would have been better if it turned a profit instead of a massive loss.”

Steve Moose Murray said it was a “huge loss of money.”