DORSET'S contribution to Britain's maritime heritage is to be celebrated with a series of events.

Plans are underway for a series of sea-themed events across the county in 2005, which will range from memorial services to sailing celebrations.

Weymouth and Portland tourism officer Steve Davies confirmed that next year's trawler race day will be an official Sea Britain 2005 event.

Mr Davies said: "The theme is a broad celebration of the sea - its history, the jobs it creates and they way it affects our lives.

"As time progresses we will get more and more involved with the project.

"We are really excited about it - the sea and maritime events are very close to people's hearts in Weymouth and Portland. We are going to be planning events for next year in earnest."

The Sea Britain project will promote maritime events across the country culminating with a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. At least three Dorset captains, including Nelson's right-hand man Thomas Hardy, fought in the battle.

A historical re-enactment, the New Trafalgar Dispatch, will carry news of the victory through Weymouth on August 23, 2005 en route from Falmouth to London.

Other events next year include two memorial services planned to commemorate the sinking of the Earl of Abergavenny in 1805 and HMS Sidon in 1955.

The Weymouth underwater archaeology group is organising a wreath-laying service in Weymouth bay, above the site of the sinking, on February 6.

A memorial plaque for the ship's captain John Wordsworth, brother of the famous poet William, will be placed in Wyke Regis Church where he is buried.

Relatives and survivors of HMS Sidon, the submarine that sank in Portland harbour killing 13 men, will take part in a ceremony on June 16 to mark the 50th anniversary of the disaster.

A memorial stone, under construction at Weymouth College, will be placed near the war memorial on Portland Heights, overlooking the scene of the tragedy.

Dorset Coastal Forum spokesman Gordon Le Pard said: "We are trying to bring together as many different events taking place on the coast as we can.

"We are trying to encourage organisations to link their events to Sea Britain to make this a wide ranging series of celebrations.

"As time goes on more people are coming on board."