Titanic's last missing link opens

Large crowds have turned out to see the SS Nomadic

A restored boat which is the last floating link to the ill-fated Titanic has opened to the public in Belfast.

Docked at Queen's Quay, the SS Nomadic has artefacts and replicas of items from the Titanic, as well as clothing worn by Kate Winslet in the 1997 movie.

More than 1,000 people were expected over the bank holiday weekend to visit the boat, which once carried mainly first-class passengers to the Titanic.

Volunteers worked through the night to get the boat ready on time.

And Denis Rooney of the Nomadic Preservation Trust said a large number of visitors had already inspected the boat.

The Nomadic brought first-class passengers to the Titanic

"They have put us under a bit of pressure just to try and deal with it as we swing into action," he said.

"It is a great day for the trust and for anybody who is interested in the Titanic or the Nomadic, as well as Belfast."

Built in 1911, the boat was in storage in Le Havre, France, before it was bought by the government.

It saw out the end of the last century as a floating restaurant beside the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

A charitable trust was set up to oversee and raise funds for the restoration of the Nomadic, and it is hoped the vessel will become a major tourist attraction.

It is hoped the ship will be fully restored for its 100th anniversary in four years' time.