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Tall Ships: Four-day Belfast festival draws to a close | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Tall Ships are leaving Belfast, ending the four-day maritime festival. | The Tall Ships are leaving Belfast, ending the four-day maritime festival. |
Thousands of people have flocked to the city for the event, which featured 50 vessels from 15 different countries. | |
Belfast is the home port for the start of the Tall Ships Races, which begin off the County Antrim coast on Monday. | |
The Tall Ships are sailing out of Belfast Lough, making their way towards Bangor, County Down, before finishing their parade at Whitehead in County Antrim. | |
Ahead of the ships setting sail, crowds were treated to a spectacular aerial display by the Red Arrows. | |
The vessels will go on to visit six ports in five countries over the course of the competition. | |
The PSNI said up to 300,000 people were expected along the Antrim and north Down shorelines to catch a final glimpse of the boats. | |
Inspector Stephen Burns said: "Traffic disruption is expected along the A2 corridor between Holywood Exchange to Groomsport and on the Antrim Coast Road from the Shore Road, Newtownabbey, as far as Portrush." | Inspector Stephen Burns said: "Traffic disruption is expected along the A2 corridor between Holywood Exchange to Groomsport and on the Antrim Coast Road from the Shore Road, Newtownabbey, as far as Portrush." |
They have asked people to use public transport where possible. | They have asked people to use public transport where possible. |
Belfast previously hosted the Tall Ships event in 2009. | Belfast previously hosted the Tall Ships event in 2009. |
The actual race begins five miles off the coast of Portrush, County Antrim, at 10:00 BST on Monday. | The actual race begins five miles off the coast of Portrush, County Antrim, at 10:00 BST on Monday. |
After leaving Belfast on Sunday, the ships will visit Aalesund and Kristiansand in Norway and then Aalborg in Denmark. | After leaving Belfast on Sunday, the ships will visit Aalesund and Kristiansand in Norway and then Aalborg in Denmark. |
BBC Northern Ireland is running a live page on the final day of the Tall Ships festival in Belfast. | BBC Northern Ireland is running a live page on the final day of the Tall Ships festival in Belfast. |