A UNIQUE Harwich festival featuring hundreds of boisterous songs of the sea is set for another stunning showing.

The Harwich International Sea Shanty Festival welcomed thousands of people to the town for the tenth anniversary of the event last year.

Organisers are hoping to build on that success, with more shanty singers than ever from across Europe set to perform in pubs and venues across the town.

The festival will celebrate the important maritime history of Harwich and promote the tradition of shanties and sea songs.

Shanties are traditional shipboard working songs, with some dating back to the fifteenth century.

They served as the most practical source of energy on board sailing ships, providing a rhythm to the work.

Shanties are hugely popular in many European countries, with a host of groups travelling from Poland, Finland, Denmark, France, Holland and Belgium, Closer to home there will be performances from such groups as the Golden Rivets, Harwich Shanty Crew and the Naze Shanty Crew.

Swinging the Lead, one of the most popular bands at the festival, is fresh off the back of recording an item for hit BBC series Countryfile, due to air on Sunday, October 9.

A grand concert will be held at the Electric Palace cinema, in Kings Quay Street, at 8pm on the Saturday, featuring top groups Grietje Sprot, Roaring Trowmen, Tidens Brus, Sound Tradition and North Cape.

A camper and caravan site will be available on a first come first serve basis, at a cost of £10 per night and located off the A120 within walking distance of the festival.

There will be a range of displays and workshops across the town , with vessels including the Thames Barge Victor and the historic Excelsior available to explore.

Pam Fitzgerald, organiser, said:"We are just a week away and we are ready, save putting up a few more posters and last minute banners.

"The festival programme is now available and we would urge people to go out an pick up a copy.

"We are hugely excited, it is so weather dependant of course but the initial response has been fantastic.

"We have had a lot of advance ticket sales and we are very pleased with how preparations have gone.

"The whole town is buzzing with excitement."

The festival will run from Friday, Ocotber 7 until Sunday, October 9.

For full details of timings and event listings, purchase a festival programme for £3 from Harwich Box Office, in Harwich Library, Ha’Penny Pier Visitor Centre, Alma Inn, Crown Post, Hanover Inn, New Bell Inn and Cutaway Barbers.

To book tickets for the different shows and workshops and to download a programme, visit harwichshantyfestival.co.uk.