THE history of Maldon's famous Thames sailing barges will be celebrated in a free exhibition at Southend.

Called 'Red Sails Over the Estuary', the exhibition be open from Wednesdays to Sundays from 19 May to 15 August at the Priory Visitor Centre in Priory Park, Victoria Avenue, in Southend, from 11am to 4pm. Admission is free and car parking will be available in Priory Park.

Material for the exhibition has been researched by members of a number of u3a groups around the Maldon area and by the Thames Sailing Barge Trust.

The display will focus on the history of the Thames sailing barge and its associations with Southend. It comes as result of a partnership between the Thames Sailing Barge Trust and Southend Museums and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the Pudge Project (which involves the restoration of one of Maldon's most well-known barges, Pudge).

A spokesperson for the Thames Sailing Barge Trust said: "We are excited to be part of the Estuary Festival, the large-scale arts festival that celebrates the lives, landscapes and histories of the spectacular Thames Estuary."

Visit the Thames Sailing Barge Trust website for more information using the link here.