THE Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier will leave the North-East for the final time today.
HMS Ark Royal has been anchored in Northumbria Quay, North Shields, North Tyneside, over the weekend.
The visit was part of a final voyage around the UK before she is decommissioned early next year.
The Invincible Class carrier is being scrapped as part of the Government’s defence spending cuts.
Hundreds of people lined the banks of the River Tyne on Friday to greet the ship.
It was her last stop at a non-naval UK port before she returns to Portsmouth next week.
She was built by Swan Hunter workers in Wallsend, North Tyneside, in 1981.
She will leave at about 3pm today.
The Shields Ferry is running a river cruise from 2.45pm for people to get a close look as she leaves. Tickets, on a first-come, first-served basis, are £6 for adults and £4 for concessions.
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