ORGANISERS of the greatest maritime show on Earth declared it was so successful they are planning a return visit to Hampshire.

The International Festival of the Sea, the largest festival of its kind in the world this year, attracted about 160,000 people from throughout the country to see the biggest collection of warships, tall ships and small boats ever gathered on one site in Portsmouth Harbour.

Not only did the exciting event entertain families, it also boosted the economy of the harbour communities by about £6m in income from the spending of visitors and 20,000 sailors per day, boosting the final visitor figure to about 240,000.

So pleased is the Royal Navy, the main organisers at the Navy base, that planning is already underway to float the next festival in 2005.

The International Festival of the Sea, the first to involve the Army, RAF and Royal Navy in joint displays, will have even more interest because it aims to mark the 200th anniversary of the UK's greatest sailor, Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Captain Malcolm Farrow, tri-services director of the festival and a veteran of the Falklands and Gulf wars, said: "We came, we conquered the elements that threatened to rain us off and the ticketing problems that caused delays and we entertained.

"We are delighted with the response of the people of Hampshire and from even wider afield. It has gone better than predicted. I'm already planning for the next event in 2005. We're coming back to Portsmouth and this time we'll have added value by celebrating the bicentennial of the Battle of Trafalgar and the leadership and humanity shown by our greatest wartime naval commander, Admiral Nelson.

"There is nowhere better than that than in Portsmouth and Gosport because that is where his fleet was based and, indeed, his flagship, HMS Victory, remains a great attraction."

Even on Sunday, when torrential rain for two hours nearly sank the event, about 50,000 people poured though the gates to enjoy the 38 tall ships, international warships, mock battles, jets, helicopters, ships and the Royal Marines, Red Arrows displays, bands and parachute jumps.

The event was rounded off by a sound and light extravaganza charting the heritage of the sea.