A NAVAL historian is hoping to bring a memento of the town's maritime history back to the River Weaver.

The defence boat HMS Droxford, built at Pimblott's Yard in Northwich in 1952, is currently sitting in the river Clyde in Scotland, after a long and distinguished career in active service which ended 20 years ago.

But keen Naval expert Paul Gwilliam hopes to bring the Droxford home.

Paul said: "I want to save this ship from being broken up.

"It needs Northwich to save it, because otherwise it's destined for the breaker's yard."

The Droxford is a Ford class patrol boat, designed in the 50s for service in the Korean War. She had a crew of just 19 sailors.

She was retired from service following the Indonesian crisis of the late 50s, and has been used as a weapons-testing vessel since then. But now, the Ministry of Defence feels it can no longer support the Droxford.

This week, Paul, from Bucklow Hill, will ask the Ministry of Defence how much it would cost to bring the Droxford to the Weaver.

He added: "It's the last reminder I can find of the Pimblott and Yarwood yards, and the days when Northwich was proud to serve the Royal Navy. She deserves better than the scrap heap."

Paul says the more people who back his campaign, the better.

"At the moment, I am one man chasing an idea," he said.

"But if more people are interested, and can put pressure on the people concerned, then we could have a wonderful and worthwhile reminder of an essential part of our history, which would be there for all to see."

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