Centuries of proud seafaring heritage was celebrated in jaunty style at Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival.

Eastern Daily Press: Aboard the Lydia Eva is Chris Way, Sarah Way and young William Way at The Maritime festival in Great Yarmouth. Picture: ROB COLMANAboard the Lydia Eva is Chris Way, Sarah Way and young William Way at The Maritime festival in Great Yarmouth. Picture: ROB COLMAN (Image: © Rob Colman 2016. No Syndication.)

A flotilla of guest ships sailed into town for the occasion which attracted an estimated 30,000 visitors.

Newly built support vessel Esvagt Njord SOV loomed large over the crowds on South Quay. Weighing in at 2531 tons the state of the art ship was officially named the day before the festival and will service the Dudgeon wind farm off Norfolk.

The age of sail was represented in all its grandeur by the Earl of Pembroke. Built in 1945 the tall ship has featured in more than a dozen films and TV series including Cloud Atlas, Hornblower, Treasure Island and Alice in Wonderland.

After a damp start to the weekend visitors were bathed in glorious sunshine today, as amid renditions of sea shanties the aroma of freshly cooked herring wafted on the breeze.

Eastern Daily Press: Glorious sunshine at The Maritime festival in Great Yarmouth. Picture: ROB COLMANGlorious sunshine at The Maritime festival in Great Yarmouth. Picture: ROB COLMAN (Image: © Rob Colman 2016. No Syndication.)

Historical characters wandered the quayside while a jet ski display team performed thrilling manoeuvres on the river.

Crowds were also able to savour the bygone grace of Lydia Eva the last steam drifter which worked out of Great Yarmouth until her final haul in 1938.

The festival is staged by the Greater Yarmouth Tourism and Business Improvement District, which uses a pot of levy payer's money to fund and support events.

Maritime Festival committee member Dona Watson described the weekend as 'absolutely brilliant.'

She said: 'We are expecting around 30,000 visitors and always have slightly more on Sunday. The secret to our success is team work and hard work, there is great co-operation from the whole town.'