Sheppey's new ferry has finally reached the Island after a gruelling 502-mile journey from Wales.

The Dame Shirley, which is being renamed the Spirit of Sheppey, landed last weekend after a five-day sail along the English Channel.

A delighted Dave Wilcock, the boat's new owner, said: "I can't believe my dream of launching a new service between Sheppey and Southend is finally becoming reality."

Volunteers are working to get the boat ready for its first trip on Saturday, May 5.

Mr Wilcock, 52, from Blue Town said: "The engines performed perfectly on the voyage but there is still some cosmetic work needed before we start."

He sailed it back to Kent with new skipper Alastair Oliver at the helm.

Mr Oliver is no stranger to the boat having skippered it before when it was the Dorset Belle. There were two sister ships, the Bournemouth Belle and Poole Belle. Mr Oliver was working on the Poole Belle, renamed the Forth Belle, in Scotland before he joined Island Cruises as the new company's first captain.

Also on board were chief engineer Daryl Phillips, who installed the twin John Deere diesel engines, mate Joseph Lambert and marine engineer Justin Anslow who has upgraded the boat's electrics and added a state-of-the-art tracker so it can be monitored by coastguards and fans can follow it on the Marine Traffic mobile phone app.

Kevin Burgess, who owns the Flying Dutchman pub, also joined the crew for the voyage which took in Land's End and stops at Falmouth, Weymouth and Brighton before Queenborough.

Mr Wilcock, who has recently retired from the police, said: "Regulars from the Flying Dutchman lined the seawall and cheered as we arrived. It was an amazing once-in-a-lifetime road trip - by boat - with long 12-hour days to cover 100 miles a day."

The £135,000 boat has already cost a further £46,000 for licences, diesel and crew hire.

He said: "Hopefully, it will start paying for itself soon. It has already been booked for several floating parties - it has its own disco on board - and we are planning many fun excursions."

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