BRITAIN'S last surviving Second World War gunboat could be sold overseas because its Hampshire owner cannot find a UK buyer.

MGB81, now moored at Buckler's Hard near Beaulieu, saw action on D-Day supporting American troops on Omaha beach - but could, ironically, be sold to the Germans.

Owner Phil Clabburn has spent the past five years and £500,000 restoring the vessel to its former glory after he discovered it being used as a houseboat.

After the work was completed it was hoped someone would take the 62-year-old boat on and use it as a historic attraction.

But support has not been forthcoming and Mr Clabburn has reluctantly decided to sell.

The restoration took place at the British Military Powerboat Trust headquarters in Marchwood.

But bosses at the cash-strapped trust say they have not got

the money to pay for the historic boat.

"I think it will be a great shame if the boat leaves the country, as it is a tribute to all those who served in this area in the war.

"There is nowhere in this country that tells the story of what these boats did," said Mr Clabburn, 38, who is from the New Forest.

The boat was to be the flagship of a memorial flotilla put together by Mr Clabburn.

In another twist, the vessel's continued existence is down to three 1,000hp diesel engines donated by MAN, the German company that built engines for U-boats and the deadly rival of MGB81 in the war, the famous E-Boats.

"MGB81 was being used as a houseboat on the Hamble River when I bought her," said Mr Clabburn.

"No company in Britain could make the diesel engines needed to bring her back to life so I had to go to Germany.

"Unfortunately, I now have to sell her because I could not get the support from organisations here with deeper pockets than mine to take the project forward.

"As there has been absolutely no interest from anyone in the UK, MGB81 will almost certainly be sold abroad, probably to Germany, where there has been some interest, which is ironic really."

Clive Frampton, archivist at the Military Powerboat Trust, said: "We would love to have it if somebody was able to come up with the £500,000 needed to buy it."

MGB81 was one of a class of 96 built in the British Power Boat company's factory in Hythe in 1942.

With a top speed of 44 knots and a crew of 14, it was a fast and powerful warship designed to raid enemy shipping at night and tangle with enemy E-Boats in the battle for supremacy in the English Channel and North Sea.