Work to rebuild the Bluebird boat in which speed ace Donald Campbell was killed was given official blessing by his daughter today.

Gina Campbell fixed the first rivet in the craft, which was recovered from the bottom of Coniston Water in 2001 and is being restored.

The Bluebird K7’s hull has been reconstructed for the past two years in Wallsend, North Tyneside, and now the process of returning the boat to full working order will take place.

Donald Campbell was killed instantly when the craft flipped over while skimming the water at more than 300mph.

A spokesman said: ‘‘The Bluebird Project volunteer team has worked tirelessly for two years reconstructing Bluebird from her shattered remains recovered from the depths of Coniston Water.

‘‘The boat was successfully trial-assembled in September 2008 and now, with the backing of world-class sponsorship, her final construction to full working order will commence.’’ The speedboat will take her place at the Ruskin Museum at Coniston in the Lake District, and could be finished within a year.

Mr Campbell was killed in January 1967 while attempting his eighth world water speed record in Bluebird K7.

The boat and his remains were recovered 34 years later, and the long process of restoring Bluebird began with the backing of his family.

In 1964 Campbell, the son of speed ace Sir Malcolm Campbell, became the only man to set land and water speed records in the same year.