Tenders to demolish historic ship

The cost of restoring the ship has been estimated at £20m

Tenders are being invited to demolish the world's oldest surviving clipper ship which is scheduled for destruction at the Scottish Maritime Museum.

The City of Adelaide has been rotting away on the quayside at Irvine in Ayrshire since 1992.

Permission was given to demolish it after the maritime museum said it could not afford to pay for restoration work.

Last week the vessel was occupied by a protester who wants it returned to Sunderland, where it was built in 1864.

Peter Maddison, chairman of the Sunderland City of Adelaide Recovery Foundation, still hopes to raise enough cash to transport the ship.

The cost of a full restoration is estimated at £20m.

The City of Adelaide, latterly known as The Carrick, was built to carry people emigrating to southern Australia.

It has also been used as an isolation hospital in Southampton, a navy training ship and clubhouse for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in Glasgow.

The ship was rescued and taken to the Scottish Maritime Museum after sinking in the River Clyde.