A BIG wheel will open in Poole this month as part of a festival dedicated to celebrating the town’s seafaring heritage.

The 35-metre high wheel will open in Harbourside Park on Friday, April 28 for the Poole Maritime Festival and the free Seven Seas family festival.

Visitors can enjoy the attraction for a month.

The HarBar, a shipping container which has been converted into a bar, will also open at the same time.

The Seven Seas Festival, which features food and music from around the world, will take place from May 19 to 21.

It will be held in partnership with the Poole Maritime Festival.

The site will be divided into seven areas as part of the event.

Each area will feature culture from a specific region.

There will also be a ‘maritime event arena’ showcasing aspects of seafaring life in Poole from four partner charities - the RNLI, Julia’s House, Diverse Abilities and Greenpeace - as well as performances by schoolchildren, fire shows and live music.

Festival director Ben Dyas said the the wheel is “bound to be an instant hit”.

“We wanted to create something really special for the people of Poole and visitors to the area to give an early taste of what can be expected during the main festival,” he said.

“The wheel will show a unique perspective on the historic town, bustling quay and the breathtaking beauty of the harbour.

“There’s no wait for a lift to take riders to the top - visitors are shown straight to a gondola where they will be able to enjoy 360° views of beautiful Poole Harbour.”

The wheel has space for 144 people at one time.

It will stand next to the car park and offer views of up to 10 miles away on a clear day.

As a result, riders will be able to see as far as Corfe Castle and even the nature reserve at Studland, as well as Sandbanks and Brownsea Island.

The big wheel will operate daily between noon and 8pm Sunday to Thursday and 10am to 10pm Friday and Saturday.

The Bournemouth big wheel returned to the seafront in March.