A fleet of ships will be docked in Greenwich before they set sail for Quebec in Canada this spring.

The Tall Ships Regatta will arrive up the Thames in London over the Easter weekend.

Dozens of ships will be docked in Greenwich and Woolwich before embarking on the first leg of their transatlantic race.

The race, organised by Sale Training International, will see hundreds of sail trainees board the ships and set sail to Canada.

Visitors will be able to board some of the ships including the ship belonging to the Sea Cadets.

Captain Philip Russell, captain of the Sea Cadets, said: “This amazing Regatta is a magnet for the world’s tall ships, including our own TS Royalist especially built for young people.

“It’s an exclusive opportunity to get on board and explore this amazing vessel and see why so many youngsters walk away beaming with confidence after a trip of a lifetime.”

The last regatta was held in 2014 where 1.1 million visitors and Greenwich council leader Denise Hyland said she’s delighted that the borough can host the event again.

Cllr Hyland said: “I was on board the magnificent Tall Ships when we last hosted an international fleet in 2014 and I heard some truly inspirational stories from the young people taking part.

“This year’s Festival promises to be a fantastic family event which shows off our borough’s maritime history and we are proud to be the starting port so we can wave off the tall ships as they set sail for Quebec to celebrate Canada 150.

“We are grateful to our charity partners and all our sponsors for helping to deliver this spectacular event, and making 2017 a year to remember for Royal Greenwich residents and businesses.”

Places are still open for people take part in the first two-week leg of the regatta from Greenwich to Portugal, regardless of sailing experience or age.