COUNCIL plans for a programme of entertainment to coincide with the Tall Ships' return to the River Mersey later this year have been boosted by a grant of more than £70,000 from Arts Council England.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to make their way to the Liverpool City Region for The Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta, taking place from Thursday May 24 to Monday, May 28.

The entertainment will celebrate our maritime and Celtic connections with Dublin and Bordeaux – past, present and future – and showcase the very best in arts and culture from around the globe.

And thanks to the £77,000 Grants for the Arts award from Arts Council England, Wirral Council is preparing to bring a fantastic creative programme of entertainment along the New Brighton waterfront and Hamilton Square in partnership with Culture Liverpool.

Cabinet member Cllr Christine Spriggs said: "We are absolutely delighted to be able to announce this news about our successful Arts Council England grant.

"Wirral Council's Culture Team works really closely with Wirral's fantastic cultural and creative sector and this partnership is crucial to ensuring our ambitious arts and cultural programme for the people of the borough.

"Now we have the largest single Grants for the Arts award ever received by Wirral Council which is a milestone for us in being able to invest in great artistic activities and events that can be accessed by everyone.

"Our Imagine Wirral programme for 2018 is already turning out to be a year of culture, creativity, art and ideas like never before."

In Wirral, commissions from renowned artists will engage residents and visitors alike as part of a family-friendly weekend with events in New Brighton and Hamilton Square, building up to Parade of Sail day on Monday, May 28 when the ships depart the Mersey for the next stage of their race across the sea.

Cllr Spriggs added: "The Tall Ships Regatta weekend promises to be full of wonderful experiences that everyone can enjoy and participate in, with some never seen before special moments in New Brighton and in the heart of Birkenhead.

"We are also proud to be working alongside our friends in Liverpool to showcase our wonderful waterfront and proud seafaring heritage."