THE HISTORIC tug tender Calshot could be cut up for scrap by September this year, the Daily Echo can reveal.

City leisure chiefs have decided they can no longer afford to maintain the vessel, currently berthed at ABP's berth 42.

The Tug Tender Calshot Trust is to be offered ownership of the vessel and a one-off £30,000 payment from city bosses to maintain the ship.

But if the trust doesn't take over the tug - one of the United Kingdom's 50 most important vessels, according to the National Historic Ships Committee - it will be consigned to the scrap heap in September.

For the past four years the tug has sat quietly in a corner of the city's waterfront. But last year it was revealed that the tug could sink after a survey found it was taking in water.

City bosses say that it would cost more than £1m to restore the vessel and insist they can't afford to do the work. About £750,000 of the restoration costs would come from lottery grants but a further £250,000 would have to come from city coffers.

At a meeting of the city council's Cabinet on Monday, councillors approved the plan to give the Calshot to the trust - or any other body which may be interested.

City council Cabinet member for leisure, culture and tourism Councillor Peter Wakeford said that if the council disposed of the vessel, shipping lines such as Cunard and P&O would be more prepared to step in and help with restoration costs.

He said: "There is a possibility that money will come forward. But at the moment, in spite of all the publicity, nobody has put their hands in their pockets."

Speaking after the meeting Terry Yarwood, chairman of the Tug Tender Calshot Trust, said there were still final details to work out with the council about the terms of the trust taking over the vessel.

But he remained confident that funding would be found to restore the ship.