The Hartlepool Mail reports on one skipper who's making final repairs to his vessel ahead of the Tall Ships Races in Waterford this month.

Calvin Whitehead, captain of the 45ft Black Diamond, will set sail next Monday from Hartlepool with a crew of nine young people who will have the chance to gain valuable sailing experience.

The 29-year-old is hoping to repeat the class C ship's results in last year's race, where it finished second in its category.

"The boat is in good nick and the crew has mostly sailed before. We have a pretty good chance this year," he said.

The Tall Ships Races kick off in Waterford from 30 June to 3 July before the fleet sets sail for the Shetland Islands, then Stavanger in Norway and finally Halmstad, Sweden in August.