LAZY, hazy days - Preston marina was buzzing with excitement this weekend as boats of all shapes and sizes docked for the Maritime Festival.

Tall ships, yachts, tugs and narrow boats filled the harbour while on land, crowds swarmed round the waterfront to get a better view of the action.

Displays took place both in and out of the water, with people flocking to see the boat handling competition and diving demonstration.

On land, there were exhibits from the Army (including the daring death slide), Navy, model boat makers, RNLI, Fire Service and numerous other local organisations.

Music by the Thantiques Roadshow had a nautical theme with shanty tunes ringing out from the beer tent while outside the sunshine kept everyone in good humour.

The much celebrated flagship for Preston, The Zebu, attracted a lot of attention with many hopping aboard for a closer inspection, and that was exactly what skipper Sue Place wanted.

She said: "We will be taking part in the Tall Ships Race which takes in Falmouth, Lisbon and Dublin, and we need a crew of about 24 people."

She said they were hoping to recruit youngsters aged 16-24 to work on the ship as well as people interested in carpentry and electrics.

The Maritime Festival proved an ideal opportunity for the Southport Railway Centre to give local people a taste of things to come!

They brought along their prize loco, the Whitehead, to ferry people around the marina while admiring steam travel at its best. But it was a strategic move by the group of train lovers because by this time next year, they hope to transfer their base from Southport to a new unit, yet to be established at Preston docks.

The Whitehead, a former colliery steam engine built in 1908, will be one of some 30 historic locomotives and railway trappings to be housed in the proposed museum of industrial transport. Anyone wishing to join the group should call 01254-720045 for details.

The Model Boat Club had lots of mini-ships on display and hopes to have raised enthusiasm at the festival to set up a local branch of the club.

Anyone interested in building boats from matchsticks should call Tony Kent on 01772 622015.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.