Bristol's historic harbour cranes need 'urgent' restoration

The cranes tower over Bristol's Floating Harbour and are a popular tourist attraction

A set of historic cranes need urgent restoration work, according to the charity that runs them.

The four waterfront cranes are a familiar sight in Bristol, dating from the 1950s when the city was a thriving port.

Bristol Museums Development Trust says £35,000 is needed for repainting the structures.

It says without expert attention, the cranes are in danger of corroding.

In Bristol's heyday as a port the steel cranes, built in 1952, were used to lift cargo to and from ships.

When the docks closed in 1975 they were sold for scrap metal but saved when a pressure group bought two of them, with Bristol City Council buying the other two.

The cranes feature on official harbour tours

The cranes, the only survivors of 40 that used to operate at the docks, were restored and became fully working exhibits of the nearby M Shed museum in 2011.

Operated by electricity, they move along the docks and two even "talk" to each other using audio of two Bristol women reminiscing.

Now, say the volunteers who work on them, the cranes' surfaces are beginning to show signs of corrosion.

Andy King, curator of social, industrial and maritime history at the M Shed, said the cranes owed their survival to local people.

"Ever since they were saved in the 1970s, everything that's been done to bring them back to life again has been a community effort," he said.

"I counted out the volunteer hours and over the past 25 years I think we've put in around 55,000 hours into bringing them into the condition they're in.

"But something that is beyond us completely is painting them. We need to bring in specialist contractors to do that."

If the money is raised, the restoration work will take place in the autumn.