A FIRST festival of seafood was launched this week.

Seafood culinary dishes will be available at venues across at the north and south sides of the mouth of the River Tees from Friday.

Hoteliers, chefs and food experts from across the Hartlepool and Redcar areas met at the Staincliffe Hotel, in Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool on Monday to work out the final details of the week-long festival programme.

The week-long Festival of Seafood will take place in Hartlepool and Redcar from this Friday to coincide with National Seafood Week. The initiative is part of the Tees Valley's First for Festivals programme.

Events include an oyster festival at the Ocean restaurant at the Staincliffe Hotel, Seaton Carew, a moules fest at Raudin's restaurant at the York Hotel, Hartlepool, fish and chips feast at the Marine Hotel, Seaton Carew, paella party at Krimos and Porta Fino restaurants at Hartlepool's Historic Quay and fish and chips at the Red Barns Hotel, in Redcar.

Katy O'Malley, manager of Tees Valley Tourism Bureau's First for Festivals campaign, said: "Fresh seafood is part of the special appeal of Tees Valley's coastal resorts and this initiative is intended to encourage recognition and development of the seafood theme within the region."

Seafood dinner, bed and breakfast packages are available at the Marine, Staincliffe, Red Barns and York hotels.

Contact the individual hotels for details.