A DREAM became reality when the keel of the biggest liner the world has ever seen, Southampton's Queen Mary 2, was laid in a special shipyard ceremony today.

The keel laying officially signalled the start of construction on the massive 150,000 tonne Cunard megaliner, due to arrive in the city's docks at the end of next year.

QM2 will make her dramatic entrance into Southampton Water in December 2003 and leave on her maiden voyage, a 14-day voyage to Florida, on January 12, 2004.

While alongside the city docks there will be a glittering series of inaugural events including the naming ceremony.

The historic keel laying ceremony was the culmination of years of discussion, design and development to transform drawing-board blueprints into the largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive passenger ship ever.

Watched by hundreds of invited guests and workers at the French yard of Chantiers de L'Atlantique, in St Nazaire, a huge metal block, number 502, was lowered into a dry dock during the ceremony - one of the most important events in any shipbuilding project, whatever the size of the vessel.

Then, in a tradition dating back over the centuries, two coins were placed in the keel of QM2. One was a commemorative £5 Queen's Golden Jubilee coin representing the UK, where QM2 will have its home berth in Southampton, while a silver 100 French franc coin was chosen to recall the country where the ship is being built.

The coins are a custom, believed to have originated in ancient Greece, intended to bring luck to the ship, the builders, owners and to all those who sail on board the ship.

Today was specifically chosen for the ceremony as exactly 162 years ago to the day the first Cunarder, Britannia, set sail from Liverpool for North America.

Pam Conover, the Southampton-based Cunard president and chief operating officer, said: "This is it - the symbolic start of construction of the most impressive ocean liner ever and a foundation for Cunard's future growth and success.

"What better way for Cunard to celebrate its 162nd birthday?"

The date is also fitting as tomorrow marks the 37th anniversary of the laying of Queen Elizabeth 2's keel in 1965.

For the construction of QM2, around 300,000 pieces of steel are being cut and fabricated into blocks in specialised workshops.

The liner's hull, strengthened and reinforced to withstand the tough conditions in the north Atlantic, will be made up of 94 steel blocks, some of which will weigh more than 600 tonnes. The construction will involve more than 930 miles of welding. Patrick Bossier, chairman and chief executive officer of Chantiers de L'Atlantique, said: "Queen Mary 2 will be the zenith of shipbuilding today.

"All our employees and partners associated with this project are committed to delivering the most magnificent Cunard ship ever.''