A MASSIVE crowd gathered at the weekend to prepare for the region hosting Tall Ships.

Among those attending the event on Saturday were 35 residents from the North-East setting sail from Hartlepool as part of the build-up to the Tall Ships Race 2010.

They were aboard the Jubilee Sailing Trust's Lord Nelson, a regular entrant in Tall Ships races, the only ship in the world offering people with disabilities and able-bodied people the chance to share the experience of crewing a ship together.

The youngest crew member is 17-year-old Carly Henderson, from Sunderland, and the oldest is 76-year- old Sydney Laird, from Thornaby, near Stockton, who has no sailing experience.

The crew was selected after Hartlepool Borough Council issued an appeal this year, and each one had to raise £200 towards the trip.

The aim of the venture is to encourage local people and businesses to become more involved in Tall Ships prior to Hartlepool hosting the world-famous event in three years.

Hartlepool is expected to host about 100 tall ships in August 2010 after they sail from Kristiansand, in Norway, on the second and final leg of the race. It could attract as many as a million spectators.

Despite visitors being unable to get on the Lord Nelson, another tall ship, the De Tukker, allowed people on deck. The Dutch sail training boat regularly takes part in Tall Ships races.