Trustees at one of the North-East's leading tourist attractions have made a public commitment to the region.

Plans costing up to £3m to transform Hartlepool's HMS Trincomalee and Historic Quay have recently been approved by Hartlepool Borough Council.

Now Bryn Hughes, general manager of the HMS Trincomalee Trust, has confirmed that it would be virtually inconceivable that Britain's oldest floating warship would leave.

Fears were expressed at a Hartlepool council cabinet meeting earlier this week that the town's taxpayers' were making serious financial commitments to the Trincomalee, but that the independent trust could leave at any time.

However, Mr Hughes said the trust was happy to sign up to a new partnership with the council, further binding the historic ship to the town.

He said: "The trust is delighted that we have been able to form a partnership with the council which will place Hartlepool more firmly on the tourism map in the future.

"The ship has a long history of association with the town. It was stationed here from 1862 to 1877 as a drill ship and has been here since 1987 when it came for restoration.

"The trust has had a long and beneficial arrangement with the council - the culmination of which is a very good long-term partnership and we are very happy to sign up to it."

Plans for the council-owned Historic Quay and the neighbouring 1817-built Trincomalee include new exhibitions, new space and the lifting of the nearby paddle steamer. It is hoped that the Government, European Union and Lottery will fund the new plans.

Published: 05/11/2004