Liverpool set for Sea Odyssey Titanic giants finale
Giant man in Liverpool The giants have been moving around Liverpool's streets, travelling a total of 23 miles
Liverpool's weekend-long Sea Odyssey street theatre event is set to conclude with three giant marionettes departing the city by boat on the River Mersey.
The giants, a little girl, her pet dog and uncle, have moved a total of 23 miles (37 km) through the city since Friday morning.
It is estimated more than 100,000 people have watched them so far.
The event, by Nantes-based French company Royal de Luxe, marks the centenary of the Titanic disaster.
'Very emotional'
The 30ft (9m) girl and 50ft (15m) man have been travelling separately around the city since Friday before they met at King's Dock on Saturday evening.
Earlier the giant man leapt over Liverpool's 44ft (13.5m) Chinese arch, the largest outside mainland China.
Ch Insp Martin Woosey, who has been walking along with the giants, said: "It's definitely one of the most memorable things I've seen walking along Liverpool's roads.
"It's so unusual to see in Britain, there aren't many times you get to see something of this scale.
"It's drawn people from all over the country to come and have a look."
Claire McColgan, Liverpool council's director of culture, said: "When they sail off on the river I think it will be very emotional.
"Liverpool is a maritime city and we understand the river and seeing those boats all go off together will just be incredible."
Dog called Xolo
The event was inspired by a letter written by a young girl to her father who worked as a steward on the Titanic, which was registered in Liverpool.
William McMurray did not survive the sinking and never saw the letter from his 10-year-old daughter May, which arrived after the ship had sailed.
The giant marionettes are made from poplar, lime wood and steel.
Their eyes are made from street lights and their hair from horse hair.
The dog puppet, called Xolo, is made from steel and papier mache.
A team of 110 puppeteers and crane operators control the giants.
Sea Odyssey is the final event to use European legacy funding from the Liverpool Capital of Culture year in 2008.
Liverpool Titanic Girl, a programme about the true story of the girl whose letter inspired the production