Zoe Craig

In Pictures: Cutty Sark Prepares For Reopening

The Cutty Sark reopens next week, after a £50m restoration project. Here are a few sneaky pictures to whet your appetite ahead of the big opening.

The boat has been lifted 11ft onto new steel supports to help relieve the stress that was threatening to tear apart the ageing frame. This means you can now wander under the vessel and get quite a breathtaking view of the now gold-painted hull. We visited before all the bells and whistles of the museum inside were installed, but still really enjoyed the chance to look around this impressive monument to London's seafaring history. Despite the heavy rain last night, the ship was looking stunning, and the views across London from the foc's'le (get us and our new-learnt naval lingo) were great. Walking the sleek, polished main deck, you can really imagine this once being the fastest ship in the world.

After a visit from Her Maj on Wednesday, the ship opens to the public on Thursday. Read more about it here: www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark

Here's a teaser video ahead of the launch: get your excited faces ready!