The Southampton Master Mariners' Club annual shipping Festival Service will be held in Winchester Cathedral on Thursday at 6.45pm.

This year's preacher is the Reverend Tom Heffer, ministry secretary of the Mission to Seafarers, which has a branch in Southampton.

A service to celebrate shipping has been held by the club in the cathedral every year since 1931, apart from a break during the war years. This year's event will be the 62nd service.

A colour party drawn from HMS King Alfred, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, 17 Port Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps based at Marchwood Military Port on Southampton Water, and the Warsash Maritime Centre will carry the White Ensign, the Red Ensign, the Blue Ensign of the RFA and the Army Ensign.

The standards of the Royal Naval Association, The Association of WRNS, the Royal Marines Association and the Merchant Navy Association will also be carried.

Youngsters from the Romsey, Southampton and Winchester units of the Sea Cadet Corps will carry the Mission to Seafarers' flag and the flags of shipping companies and organisations associated with Southampton.