Enthusiastic crowds will today warmly welcome two of the major stars of this weekend's Gloucester Tall Ships Festival.

La Malouine (pictured right) and Lady of Avenel (below) will leave Monk Meadow Quay at about 1.30pm to join the other five tall ships that are appearing at the festival in Gloucester Docks.

The ships' journey to the docks, which will take them past Sainsbury's supermarket and Gloucestershire College, is expected to take about 30 minutes.

The other five ships - Johanna Lucretia, The Matthew, Olga, White Heather and Keewaydin - will have already arrived.

The festival, which starts tomorrow and runs until Monday, will include a life-saving demonstration by dogs from Newfound Friends, action from the Industry Pro Wakeboard Tour, sword fighting displays from Captain Jack, live music, a vintage fairground and food and drink stalls.

Running alongside, the third Gloucester Shanty Festival will showcase a great line-up of around 30 acclaimed acts performing at various venues around the city centre.

As Gloucester Docks is the best preserved Victorian inland port in the UK, characters from the era will be parading around in distinctive garb during the festival.

Access-all-areas wristbands for the Tall Ships Festival cost £7 and are valid for all three days.

The wristbands will provide entry to all the tall ships taking part, the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum and the National Waterways Museum.

Admission to the festival is free for under-12s accompanied by a paying adult.

Access-all-areas wristbands for the Gloucester Tall Ships Festival are available from www.gloucestertallships.co.uk  and the Gloucester Tourist Information Centre.

Day passes costing £3, which will provide only access to the site, are available at the gate and from the Gloucester Tourist Information Centre.