Manxman: New Isle of Man ferry welcomed into harbour

The new vessel arrived in Douglas on Sunday morning

Crowds have gathered to greet the Isle of Man's newest passenger ferry as it arrived in Manx waters.

The Manxman had been docked in Southampton for some final fittings before sailing into Douglas Harbour shortly after 09:00 BST.

Built in South Korea, the £78m vessel is the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's first new passenger and freight ferry since 1998.

It will replace the Ben-my-Chree as the island's main ferry later this year.

David Buttery said he wanted to take his grandchildren on the new ferry to "create memories" for them

David Buttery, from Douglas, said it was a "big moment" for people on the island because they had "a lot of affection for our ships".

Wayne James, who travelled from Ramsey, said it was "good to see a lot of people here to support it".

His wife Liz James said the new boat was "a long time coming" and looked "very impressive".

Castletown resident Patrick Quinney said he had made the journey because it was "not often we get a new boat" and there had been a good atmosphere for its arrival.

Patrick Quinney travelled from Castletown to see the new ferry arrive

Ashley Byers said he was looking forward to taking a trip on the new vessel because he and his partner Lucy Weigel had a dog so "always use the boat".

He said: "It's pretty amazing really. It's absolutely massive, and it looks up to the job."

"Hopefully it'll be a bit nicer when the weather's rough," Ms Weigel added.

The vessel is due to start limited service by the end of July

The third in the government-owned company's fleet to hold the name Manxman, with a length of 436ft (133m) and a capacity of 950 passengers it is the largest vessel in the Steam Packet's history.

The vessel will now undergo inspections, which will include a test of its Marine Evacuation System, and berthing trials at Douglas and Heysham.

It is expected to begin limited service by the end of July, with plans being put in place for a 'round-the-island cruise'.

A welcome ceremony is due to take place on 9 July.