A “TRUE nautical experience” is set to be hosted in a North-East town’s top attraction with a celebratory rum festival.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) has announced that it will host the inaugural Hartlepool Rum Festival at the site of HMS Trincomalee, Britain’s oldest warship still afloat.

As part of the festival, the quayside at Jackson Dock will be authentically recreated, with the festivities taking place on board HMS Trincomalee and across the museum site itself.

A large selection of rums will be available to sample, with Alnwick Rum and Pusser’s Rum already confirmed, and further brands set to be announced ahead of the festival.

There will also be a number of rum-related masterclasses over the course of the night and live entertainment taking place on place on August 11.

Rachel Shepherd, events manager at the NMRN, said: “We are excited to bring a rum festival to Hartlepool, following the success we have enjoyed in Portsmouth with similar events.

“The iconic HMS Trincomalee provides the perfect venue and the entire quayside will be recreated to make for an evening of entertainment and the opportunity for people to sample a selection of rum, from many popular brands.”