A PRICELESS collection of ships that helped Britain win the Second World War may come to Poole.

Members of the British Military Powerboat Trust have confirmed that they are looking at a proposal to move their vessels from Marchwood, near Southampton, to Poole.

The crisis-hit trust has been told to vacate its premises at the former Husband's Shipyard, which has been sold to a new owner.

Attempts to find a new home in the Southampton area have drawn a blank, but the trust has received an approach from two entrepreneurs, Stephen Walters and Andrew Thornhill, who want to establish a World of Boats exhibition on a former power station site at Poole.

Operations manager Richard Hellyer said: "The Poole proposal is the only positive result we have received so far."

New Forest East MP Dr Julian Lewis accused the South East England Development Agency of not doing enough to help the trust.

He said: "Earlier this year we had a scorching exchange of letters over their woeful lack of support. I hoped they could do something worthwhile for the area, but they were absolutely useless.

"However, I'm relieved that that the trust is likely to survive.

"It's important to preserve the boats for future generations and if that means moving them to Poole, which is a lot less further away than many other places, I shall have to support it.

"But I shall be very sad to see the craft leave Marchwood."

Husband's Shipyard is home to 12 vessels owned by the trust, plus three of the boats that evacuated British troops from Dunkirk in 1940. The Dunkirk craft are owned by the Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust, which is also searching for new premises.

Chairman Jerry Lewis said they needed less space than the other organisation and were still hoping to secure a site in the Southampton area.

Vessels owned by the powerboat trust include motor torpedo boats and fast patrol launches, plus the only surviving German E-boat. Proposals to move them to Poole will be discussed at the annual meeting on October 2.

First published: Sept 21