The QE2 was greeted with a firework display

The QE2 visited North Shields overnight during an eight-day tour of Britain to mark her 40th birthday.

Thousands turned out to greet the celebrated liner, but were kept waiting for two and a half hours as high winds delayed her entry into the river.

A fireworks display marked the arrival and earlier hundreds of children waved red flags to make a "red carpet".

Scheduled to arrive at 1630 BST, the ship eventually began making her way along the Tyne on the fourth attempt at around 1900 BST.

A Northumbrian piper played from another vessel as she made her way to Tyne Commission Quay.

The Queen launched the QE2 on the River Clyde in 1967.

The ship will berth permanently at a pier at the Palm Jumeirah development in Dubai in 2009.

The plan is to turn the 963ft (294m) long, 105ft (32m) wide liner into a floating hotel.