Devon sailing trawler Vigilance is saved by £820k grant

Brixham-based Vigilance was built in 1926 at a shipyard in the town

A vintage Devon sailing trawler has received a "life-saver" £820,000 grant to fund repairs, charity bosses say.

Vigilance, one of the last remaining wooden trawlers in Brixham, was built in 1926 at Uphams Shipyard in the town.

The grant, through the National Heritage Memorial Fund, would finance vital below-the-waterline repairs on the 78ft (24m) vessel, crews said.

The ship is due to go into dry dock in Plymouth in September, with work expected to last about 20 months.

The grant recognises "the national importance" of the 95-tonne ship, charity bosses say

Nigel Gooding, of the charity which owns the ship, the Friends of Vigilance, said it recognised "the national importance" of the 95-tonne ship and "quite literally save this historic ship from disaster".

He said "This grant is a life-saver, it's a real turning point.

"It will now allow us to plan for the immediate future and means Vigilance's red sails will be seen in Torbay for years to come."

Charity board member Neil Murray added that everyone was "over the moon about this".

He told BBC Radio Devon: "Had we not got this grant, the boat was going to be lost - there's no two ways about it.

"She would have deteriorated and it would have been a complete loss to the area and the heritage."

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