Dragon boat event hailed as massive success

The annual dragon boat races on the River Tyne have been hailed as a massive success by the festival's organisers.

The two-day event involved about 900 people in dozens of boats racing between the Tyne and Millennium Bridges in front of thousands of spectators on the Newcastle waterfront.

Organised by NE1, an organisation championing Newcastle city-centre businesses, the event raises money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation charity.

Rachel Fenwick, head of marketing and events at NE1, said: "We're still waiting for the official attendance numbers and fundraising figures, but we're confident that this year's dragon boat race will have broken all previous records."

Dragon boat racing started in southern China more than 2,000 years ago.

The canoe-like boats feature a dragon's head and tail and hold up to 20 people paddling in pairs, with a drummer beating time in front and a helmsperson steering behind.

Fenwick said: "We were completely blown away by the response to this year's race.

"From a record number of boats taking part to the huge crowds lining the Quayside, the atmosphere was electric.

"The race is particularly special to us - being able to activate the Tyne is a real privilege, and the demand from the public is clear.

"We'd love to stage more events on the river."

Follow BBC Newcastle on X,Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram and listen to Radio Newcastle on BBC Sounds.