Maryport’s Taste of the Sea festival brought £500,000 into the local economy, its organisers have estimated.

Allerdale Council said the festival, which was held for the first time in the town on the weekend of August 14, had generated £11 for each £1 invested and attracted 7,000 visitors according to a survey carried out by Red Research.

Council leader Councillor Mike Johnson said: “We received some great, positive feedback about the Taste of the Sea Festival and I thank all of those involved for their efforts in producing a wonderful festival.

“Thanks also need to go to the customers, residents, businesses and traders who made them such a success.

"We hope to see it becoming a regular event in the Taste Cumbria programme and we hope to repeat this success at our forthcoming flagship event in Cockermouth on 25-26 September.”

The council said a survey found 65 per cent of those interviewed had made their trip to Maryport specifically for the festival, with more than 60 per cent of the people from Allerdale, a quarter from elsewhere in Cumbria and one in 10 from outside the county.

Satisfaction with the event was said to be high as 93 per cent of visitors rated the event very good or good and 71 per cent of those interviewed had been to the hot food court and beer tent on the harbourside, and two thirds had listened to the live music at Shipping Brow.

About 64 per cent had visited the producers’ market, and almost half the food market stalls.

Some 60 per cent of people were with their partners, and 36 per cent with other family members. About 17 per cent were with friends.

A fifth had visited the children’s fairground and other family entertainment.

Six out of seven traders gave the highest rating for how successful they found the event and they described it as a ‘fantastic event’ with a ‘brilliant atmosphere’.

One trader said: “Thoroughly enjoyed the event and it was extremely successful for me so not sure how it could have been improved."