Harwich Harbour Ferry restored after £12k of donations

Chris and Lucy Zemann are expecting to be busy now that the foot ferry is shipshape once more

A ferry damaged by gale-force winds that battered the east of England last year has been restored after public donations topped £12,000.

The Harwich Harbour Ferry in Essex was wrenched from its moorings at Ha'Penny Pier and found half-submerged in September.

The 40ft (12m) vessel was thrown against a pontoon, damaging the hull.

Owner Lucy Zemann said: "It has been a long, labour-intensive mission, but now the ferry is better than ever."

She said the ferry, which connects Harwich with Felixstowe and Shotley Gate in Suffolk, would begin taking passengers again on Monday.

A ferry has linked Suffolk and Essex since 1912.

The latest one, a former lifeboat, has been in use since 2015, and would normally see 30,000 passengers a year.

Large sections of the port side of the boat were damaged in September's storm and all the electronics were lost, including the booking, card payment and ticketing systems.

The engine was flooded but it was taken apart, serviced and put back together with new gaskets and cylinders.

The engine was flooded when the ferry was partially submerged and needed immediate repair

The ferry was pounded against a pontoon but did not sink

Work also included the installation of new safety systems, alarms, a dashboard, propeller, stern gland, heating system and cables.

Windows have been replaced and repairs made to the fibreglass hull, floor and passenger cabin.

The fundraising, along with an insurance payout and money from the owners, paid for the repairs.

The ferry connects Felixstowe (foreground) with Harwich (left and centre) and Shotley Gate (background)

Chris and Lucy Zemann have owned the ferry since 2015

Mrs Zemann, who owns the ferry with her husband Chris, said: "We have been inundated with messages of support and it really means so much to know how loved and needed the ferry is.

"Now, more than ever, people want something fun and different to do outdoors, so we expect to be busy."

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