Weather postpones start of Durham regatta

The event was due to take place on the River Wear on Saturday and Sunday

The start of an annual rowing event known as the "Henley of the North" has been postponed due to bad weather.

Organisers of the Durham regatta have said that the city's river was running too high for it to be safe for competitors on Saturday.

It is hoped that the two-day event, now in its 179th year, will be able to go ahead on Sunday.

The regatta was the start of a week-long series of events climaxing with Durham's Olympic Torch celebrations.

Top rowers from around the UK and abroad were due to compete for more than 50 trophies, and it usually attracts thousands of spectators.

The event is less well known than its southern counterpart, but pre-dates it by five years.