NORTHUMBRIA Police has thanked members of the public for helping make the Tall Ships event in Sunderland an "unforgettable week".

A spectacular 50-strong fleet including some of the world’s most magnificent vessels anchored on Wearside last week as part of a five-day festival to celebrate the city’s maritime heritage.

Thousands of visitors descended on Sunderland to join in the festivities which marked the first leg of the Races to Esbjerg, Denmark.

Among the highlights of the week were a crew parade through the city centre, a high-wire spectacular from Cirque Bijou and the Parade of Sail.

Chief Superintendent Sarah Pitt, Northumbria Police’s silver commander for The Tall Ships Races 2018, said: “We experienced very little trouble across the weekend, and I would like to thank everybody who turned out to celebrate this city’s maritime history. It was an event that will live long in the memory.

“As ever with large-scale events like this, there was the potential for disruptions on our roads and challenges in terms of policing a five-day festival. However, I am thrilled that the event passed without major incident, and with everyone in good spirits.

“I’d like to thank members of the public for being so patient when coming to and leaving the event site, as well as the organisers and our motor patrol officers who minimised any heavy delays on the roads."

The Force’s Marine Unit were on hand to keep the port secure, armed officers were deployed on the ground to offer reassurance and motor patrol officers managed the traffic to get people on and off the site as safely and efficiently as possible.

They were all helped by Dog Section and Mounted Section, who attracted the crowds as they patrolled across each of the four event zones.