Island ferry disruption as works take place

Ferry passengers will face journey disruption as two vessels undergo repair and maintenance work.

Operator Red Funnel, which has a service between the Isle of Wight and Southampton, will run a one-boat timetable for at least three weeks from Sunday while the foot passenger ferries are out of action.

The firm's Red Jet 6 ferry has been sent to Wight Shipyard for a permanent repair to one of its water jet shaft seals, which was temporarily fixed in November.

Red Jet 7 will begin its annual maintenance work once Red Jet 6 returns to service.

Red Funnel had hoped to return to a full service from 16 February but said the repairs to Red Jet 6 meant it may need to extend its one-boat timetable by a few days.