THE biggest ocean liner in the world will arrive in Greenock next week as part of the 175th anniversary celebrations of Cunard.

Queen Mary 2 will arrive alongside the Ocean Terminal at 7.30am on Thursday May 21 and a special reception and dinner will be held on board prior to her leaving that evening.

Fireworks will salute the departure of the Cunard flagship - one of the most famous ships in history.

The company's first ship Britannia was built at Robert Duncan Shipyard at Greenock and launched in the Clyde in February 1840.

Her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Boston was the first scheduled steamship service across the Atlantic and changed the face of ocean travel forever.

Britannia and her Greenock built sisters Acadia, Caledonia and and Columbia laid the foundations for a service which has continued without fail in peace and war, every year since 1840.

Of the 248 ships to fly the Cunard flag, 125 were built in Scotland of which 120 were built on the Clyde.

Cunard director Angus Struthers said: "Most of Cunard's great ships were built on the Clyde and we are very proud of our association with the river.

"We are delighted our flagship Queen Mary 2 will pay tribute to her Scottish forebears and have Greenock and the Clyde be an important part in our 175th anniversary celebrations."