Hundreds of thousands in Blyth for the Tall Ships Races
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to turn out for the four-day event on the North Sea coastline as the race celebrates its 60th anniversary.
Northumbria Police's Marine Unit is offering safety advice to the public ahead of the Tall Ships in Blyth this weekend.
Officers from Northumbria Police are supporting the event organisers and will be on duty to offer advice and reassurance to anyone visiting the Northumberland town.
The local Neighbourhood Policing Team will be on duty and will be highly visible in Blyth while the Dog Section will also be on duty to introduce visitors to the new puppy recruits.
But perhaps most importantly the Force's Marine Unit will be out on patrol to help keep the port secure and respond to any incidents on the water.
Sergeant Suzanne Crossley, who runs the unit, said:
"We are really excited to be part of the Tall Ships and there is going to be a real buzz around the town.
"Everyone in the Marine Unit is looking forward to being a part of it and we will make sure we give everyone a wave from our boat which will be patrolling the water over the course of the weekend.
"Our main role is to keep the public safe and the port secure so that anyone attending the Tall Ships over the weekend can have the best possible experience.
"Open water can be really dangerous and we need the public to be aware of exactly what can happen if you enter the water at the Tall Ships over the weekend.
"The temperature of the water can cause the body to go into shock, the current could sweep you out to sea and objects such as rocks could be hidden under the water surface.
"You should never go into the water if you have been drinking alcohol and families should make sure that any young children are supervised and kept a safe distance from the water edge.
"We will be on duty and working closely with RNLI to deal with any incidents but we don't anticipate any trouble and are looking forward to a really great event."
Two Park and Ride sites will be in operation north and south of Blyth and there will be no parking for vehicles within the town itself as a number of road closures and road blocks will be in place.
A limited number of disability parking will be available in the town centre but visitors will have to reserve a space in advance. Taxis and exisiting public transport links will continue to operate throughout the weekend.
For more information about the event, parking and transport to and from the Tall Ships visit http://www.tallshipsblyth2016.com/