A TOURIST attraction has become the region's first to scoop a top award reflecting commitment to quality.

Hartlepool Historic Quay and Museum has been awarded Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service accreditation by the English Tourism Council.

It is the first attraction in the Northumbria Tourist Board region to successfully apply for accreditation, which was awarded following an assessment by an anonymous inspector. The inspector looked at all areas of the Historic Quay and Museum's operation, including pre-arrival, arrival, attraction, toilets, catering and retail facilities.

Kevin Burns, marketing officer for Hartlepool Borough Council, said: "We are enjoying a really successful summer in terms of attendance figures, so this really is the icing on the cake."

The accreditation means the museum is allowed to use the English Tourism Council's Quality Assured Visitor Attraction logo.

News of the award comes in the wake of statistics revealing that the number of paying visitors to the Historic Quay during April to July this year was up 38 per cent on the same period last year. Admission to the museum is free.

Figures show that from April to July 2000, there were 23,428 paying visitors to the Historic Quay, while numbers rose to 32,349 in the same period this year.