Royal Navy Ark Royal visits city

The ship will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday

The Royal Navy's flagship HMS Ark Royal has arrived in Liverpool for a four-day visit.

It is the second trip to the city for the 20,000-tonne vessel - its first was last June.

Passengers on board the city's famous Mersey ferries will be able to get up close to the ship, with regular cruises throughout the visit.

The ship, at the Cruise Liner Terminal, will be open to the public between 1000 and 1500 GMT on Friday and Saturday.

Personnel will be on hand to answer questions about careers in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

VIPs on board

During her stay, the ship will host a VIP reception for 250 invited guests from around the city led by the Lord Mayor.

She will also host visits by the emergency services and naval and aviation societies.

Sea cadets, schools and other youth organisations will get the chance to go aboard and learn about a life with the Royal Navy.

Commanding Officer of HMS Ark Royal, Captain John Clink, said: "My team is very much looking forward to sharing their experiences with our visitors, communicating what it's like to be part of life aboard a modern warship."

HMS Ark Royal will visit Glen Mallen near the Clyde, Scapa Flow on Orkney and Newcastle, before entering a period of refit to enable her to return to the UK's strike carrier role.