Torbay boat aims to extend horizons for disabled says charity

Wetwheels boats has seven other boats around England, Scotland and the Channel Islands

A new boat is expected to give disabled people the opportunity to get on the water in Torbay.

The boat is the eighth in its fleet in England, Scotland and the Channel Islands, said the charity Wetwheels.

The £180,000 boat, with wheelchair access and adapted steering, has been paid for by businessman James Ashton.

Mr Ashton, 60, from Shaldon, Devon, has lived with motor neurone disease (MND) for seven years and said his "passion since a toddler has been the sea".

Businessman James Ashton has paid for the new boat

The new boat, which is under construction, will be based at Torbay Marina and is expected to be fully operational by the spring of 2024, said the charity.

• Listen: Bringing an accessible powerboat to Torquay

"Whether on, in or under it, boating has been a way of life," said Mr Ashton.

"When I declined with MND I struggled to get on a boat and once the full effects of the disease took over it seemed boating was over."

After finding a suitable catamaran "my mission was to bring accessible boating to Torbay", he said.

Geoff Holt, who founded Wetwheels in 2011 said: "All are active participants, rather than simply passengers.

"A Wetwheels experience challenges self-perceptions, extends horizons and opens up new opportunities."

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].