Crowd on ships before sail parade

An estimated 50,000 visitors have been on board Liverpool's tall ships for the penultimate day of the festival.

The largest fleet of tall ships ever assembled in the city is at the Albert and Wellington docks until Monday.

The "Parade of Sail" will see the ships leaving for the start of the first tall ships race leg to Norway.

Crowds are expected on the Wirral to watch the ships pass with Birkenhead, Wallasey and New Brighton expected to be popular vantage points.

Wirral Council said it was expecting "extremely high levels of traffic".

It advises the best places to watch the sailings will be the promenade at Woodside, Birkenhead, Seacombe Ferry, Egremont, Wallasey, New Brighton.

Ships from more than 18 countries including Brazil, Poland, Oman and Germany are taking part in the event.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool Culture
Sail Training International
Tall Ships
Tall Ships' Races 2008
Merseyside Police
Liverpool 08
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites