OLYMPIC hero Dame Kelly Holmes, will be naming the latest Southampton-based cruise ship Arcadia at a gala event in the city next month.

Bosses at P&O Cruises have confirmed the double Olympic gold medal-winner will be in the city to name and officially launch the 83,000-tonne ship.

David Dingle, managing director of P&O Cruises, said: "We are honoured that she has agreed to become godmother to Arcadia."

The evening of celebrations is being held on Tuesday, April 12.

By asking Kelly Holmes to take part, P&O has broken with a long tradition of asking a member of the Royal Family to carry out the naming ceremony.

Arcadia will feature a luxury spa, a three-tier theatre, a 3,000-piece, multi-million-pound modern art collection, 14 bars and six fine dining restaurants, one of which was developed by celebrity chef, Gary Rhodes.

The £200 million ship has 540 metres of promenade deck - a distance Dame Kelly could cover in one minute 18 seconds, based on her winning time in Athens.

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