THE tall ship made famous by the television series Hornblower is to return to Great Yarmouth for the 10th anniversary year of the town's Maritime Festival.

THE tall ship made famous by the television series Hornblower is to return to Great Yarmouth for the 10th anniversary year of the town's Maritime Festival.

The 152ft Grand Turk, based in Whitby, North Yorkshire, was thought to have paid its sixth and final call to Norfolk as the ship looked destined for a new life in the Caribbean.

However, the move fell through, and even though the vessel - a replica of an 18th century frigate modelled on the Royal Navy ship Blanford - is still up for sale for �1.75m, Yarmouth tourism chiefs are poised to sign contracts for its festival return over the weekend of September 5 and 6.

Borough tourism officer Alan Carr said: “Even if they do sell it, the new owners will honour the existing contracts.

“We are looking at three tall ships sailing in for our anniversary year. The Jubilee Sailing Trust's Lord Nelson has already agreed to come and we are negotiating over another vessel as well.”

The Grand Turk, made of the African tropical hardwood iroko and mahogany, had been up for sale for �2.8m until the price was slashed a week ago.

Built in 1997 in Marmaris, Turkey, she was filmed for the first series of Hornblower off the Crimean coast in the Black Sea in September 1997 and for the second part in spring 1998 off the Portuguese coast.

Mr Carr said they were still looking for new sponsors to make this year's festival extra special.

The event, which has grown to attract more than 30,000 visitors, offers a wide programme from shanty singers, bands and entertainers to seafood and craft stalls.