A RESTORED naval quay yesterday swept the boards yesterday when it scooped a tourist award.

The Hartlepool Historic Quay was presented with the large visitor attraction of the year prize at the Pride of Northumbria Awards in Newcastle.

The attraction's operations manager Carolyne Darling said: "We are delighted. We have to thank our staff who have made this possible."

Ms Darling said the restored 18th Century port had become a big draw, with many visitors returning again and again.

She said: "We are constantly improving and seeking to add features to the attraction.

"We try to make it an interactive experience between staff and our visitors and have spent a lot of money on new costumes."

Northumbria Tourist Board chief executive Peter Sloyan said: "The Pride of Northumbria Awards are a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge those businesses that have strived so hard to achieve the highest standards across the tourism industry.

"The exceptional levels of quality across the board show why Northumbria was voted England's Best Short Break destination earlier this year."

A special award for all- round excellence was the latest honour this year for Chris and Alison Davy, who have ran The Rose and Crown in Romaldkirk, Teesdale, for 13 years.

The hotel, opened in 1733 as a coaching inn, has also won the AA's pub of the year 2003 award, the AA's top rating of two red stars and was named inn of the year in the Good Hotel Guide.

Mr Davy said: "We are thrilled and delighted with this award, we didn't expect to achieve so much this year.

"We have invested a lot of money in the building, to offer plush bedrooms and bathrooms, while maintaining the old character of the inn and ensuring our food is top quality. But, ultimately, the hotel is only as good as the ten full-time and 16 part-time staff who work hard to give visitors the best service possible."

The winners:

Large hotel of the year - Winner: The Newcastle Marriott. Runners-up: De Vere Slaley Hall, Northumberland and Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County.

Small hotel of the year - Winner: Langley Castle Hotel, Hexham. Runner- up: Lumley Castle Hotel, Chester-le-Street. Special award: Rose and Crown Hotel, Romaldkirk, near Barnard Castle.

Bed-and-breakfast of the year - Winner: Thistleyhaugh Farm, Morpeth. Special award: Martineau Guest House, Tynemouth. Runner-up: Allerwash Farmhouse, near Hexham.

Self-catering of the year - Winner: Honeysuckle and Bluebell Cottages, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Runners up: East Briscoe Farm Cottages, Barnard Castle and Mill Lane Apartments, Berwick.

Large visitor attraction of the year - Winner: Hartlepool Historic Quay. Special award: Eldon Square Shopping Centre, Newcastle and Tynedale Retail Park, Hexham. Runner-up: the New Metroland.

Small visitor attraction of the year - Winner: Segedunum, Wallsend. Special award: Killhope Lead Mining Museum. Runners-up: Nature's World at the Botanic Centre, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Pot-a-doodle-do.

Tourist Information Centre of the Year - Winner: Newcastle. Runners-up: Alnwick, Sunderland, Newcastle International Airport, Once Brewed and Hexham.

Web site of the Year - Winner Jon Monks at www.shepherdswalks.co.uk