Bluebird to be 'fully restored'

Bluebird was salvaged from Coniston Water in March 2001

The daughter of speed hero Donald Campbell is to restore her father's ill-fated Bluebird craft to its former glory and donate it to a museum.

Gina Campbell has signed the wreck over to Coniston's Ruskin Museum which is to seek funds to build an extension.

It follows two failed bids by Ms Campbell for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Mr Campbell died on Coniston Water in 1967 trying to break his own speed record. The boat was recovered in 2001.

The Ruskin Museum must now try to raise about £750,000 to build an extension in which to house the craft.

Bill Smith, the diver who located and raised the boat, is working free of charge to restore the craft to full working order.

In September, a bid for funds was turned down by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which favoured more "wide ranging proposals".

An initial bid was rejected in 2005.

Ms Campbell will not settle for less than a fully-restored Bluebird

Announcing the decision to donate the boat to the museum, Ms Campbell said: "We have had four years of talking to the Heritage Lottery Fund and it has all come to a fruitless exercise.

"A lot of time, money and effort has been wasted. So I've decided to go it alone and secure the Bluebird's future for the people of Coniston whose kindness and generosity to my family has been without parallel."

The Ruskin Museum will apply for local economic regeneration funding to contribute 40% of the extension costs and will look for donations for the remaining amount.

Vicky Slowe the museum's curator, said: "We know from our visitors and from local people that they want to see Bluebird in a pristine condition and in all her glory.

"The Campbell family's trust in us to help them deliver that dream is wonderful."