Spurn lightship: Hull's historic vessel towed to new berth

The lightship guided mariners in the tricky waters of the Humber estuary for decades

A historical lightship has left its berth for the first time in 34 years to undergo restoration work.

Hull's Spurn lightship was towed into the Humber Estuary on the morning tide after strong winds delayed earlier attempts to move it.

Two tugboats pulled the vessel from its Hull Marina berth to Dunston's shipyard at William Wright Dock.

It is due to enter dry dock ahead for works restoration as part of Hull's £30m maritime regeneration project.

Strong winds scuppered last week's attempt to complete the complicated move, which took several hours and involved squeezing through dock gates.

The Humber is regarded as one of the world's most treacherous waterways, and even today river pilots are required to guide ships in and out.

Two tugboats pulled the lightship to its destination

The lightship - also known as Goole Shipbuilding, Light Vessel 12 - got its name from its mooring point off Spurn, an East Yorkshire sand spit.

Built in 1927 the floating lighthouse helped vessels to navigate the tricky Humber estuary approach, and was employed at several stations along the route.

It was used during World War Two and stayed in service until it was decommissioned in November 1975.

After its latest move it was moored alongside Arctic Corsair, the city's last sidewinder trawler, which was moved earlier this month.

The lightship is set to become a tourist attraction once more in 2023 after its refit.

The two historical ships were moored next to each other before both underwent a dry dock inspection