A SPECIAL event has been held to mark 200 days until the Tall Ships arrive in the region.

Organisers and sponsors gathered together at Hartlepool United Football Club last week to hear about the latest news for the Tall Ships Race 2010.

Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond, who attended the event, said: With only 200 days to go we have a lot of work to do but equally a lot has been done to make this the biggest free event in England this year."

The event coincided with the registration of another Class A Tall Ship, the Shabab Oman. This is a 144ft vessel, which was built in 1971, and is the only Tall Ship operating as a sail training vessel in the Arabic world.

It brings the total number of vessels on board to 55, with a further three here to take part in the North Sea Regatta afterwards.

Hartlepool will welcome up to one million visitors when it hosts the Tall Ships Races 2010 in August.