Clock begins tall ship countdown

The event is being described as Hartlepool's 'Olympics'

A giant clock has been installed on Hartlepool Marina to begin the countdown to the town's hosting of the Tall Ships' Race in 2010.

The area will welcome up to 125 tall ships, at the finishing line of the famous event between 7 and 10 August.

The race is expected to attract more than a million visitors to Teesside.

Young sailing enthusiasts from the Orcel Sea Training initiative helped Mayor Stuart Drummond unveil the clock on Friday.

The timepiece was revealed at Hartlepool's Maritime Experience site to mark a 400-day countdown.

Mr Drummond said: "I'm over the moon, it's literally going to be Hartlepool's Olympics, the most exciting thing that's happened to the town for a long time.

"We're expecting something like one million visitors over the weekend, so it's a real opportunity for us to show what kind of a town Hartlepool is."