AN SOS has been issued over the future of a historic passenger ship which used to make annual trips from Lydney harbour.

The MV Balmoral is 70 years old next year, and has recently featured in two major feature films.

But despite her starring role, the charity which owns her says the ship’s future is at a crossroads after the need for £3m worth of repairs forced them to cancel all sailings in 2019 for the second year running.

They say that unless an appeal for more support and volunteers succeeds, the former Isle of Wight ferry may never put to sea again from her Bristol Harbour base.

The MV Balmoral Fund Limited charity says it costs money just to keep her afloat, let alone start the major upgrade, and it needs urgent help to open the ship to the public, while she is laid up, to raise funds.

Spokesman Dick Clague said: “Despite our best efforts, insufficient progress has been made for the ship to return to seagoing service in time for the 2019 season.

“The ship requires a £3m upgrade before she can sail again, so an experienced volunteer fundraiser and support team are needed.

“Instead of carrying passengers on trips in the Bristol Channel, on the North Wales coast and further afield, she remains tied up in Bristol until funds are raised to undertake major upgrade work on the hull, deck and crew accommodation, as well as other work now required to meet tightening standards being applied across the shipping industry.”

The sum needed was “well beyond the funds available to the charity,” he added, and “developing and managing a project of this size and complexity require more time and expertise than the current board possesses.”

The charity needed both substantial new funding and a “massive strengthening” at all levels of its management and support.

The coastal excursion ship, which can carry 800 passengers, has recently starred in hit film The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and ITV’s The Island Strait, and features in Stan and Ollie, which gets its film premiere at October’s London Film Festival, as the comedy duo arrive in Ireland.

But to obtain any Heritage Lottery funding, the charity must secure year-round accessible berthing so it can open for community and educational activities, people to run them, a fundraising team with the expertise to raise at least £3m in grant applications, sponsorship and major events and volunteers with ship or engineering project management experience.

Fundraising is also needed just to mantain her in harbour, alongside berthing fees, insurance, fuel and other costs to move the ship.

“If that cannot be done, the chances of her ever going to sea again are in serious doubt,” said Mr Clague.

“We would hope proceeds from events on board would normally cover much of this cost, but having lost four to six months summer earnings over uncertainty of the ship’s berth and access, costs are having to be covered from small reserves.

“Whilst the objective is to get MV Balmoral sailing again, this can only happen with a massive injection of new blood, new skills, new thinking and of course money.

“What is clear is that the present position is not sustainable. The response over the next few months will determine whether it is realistic to aim for an operational future for this historic and unique vessel, so she can once again play an active part in providing pleasure to thousands of passengers around the British coastline.

“If such support is not forthcoming then a decision will be needed on whether she could have a future as a static, educational and heritage resource.”

Contact MV Balmoral Fund via www.mvbalmoral.org.uk or Mike on [email protected] or 0117 325 6100 to help or for more information.

To donate go to https://tinyurl.com/give2Balmoral or see the website.