THEY saved our boys and now we could lose them forever.

Some of the famous "Little Ships" that rescued more than 300,000 soldiers stranded at Dunkirk are in danger of being moved out of Hampshire.

The British Military Powerboat Trust has been told to quit its Marchwood home, which contains a fleet of wartime vessels rescued from the scrapyard.

The priceless collection includes four of the tiny boats that sailed across the Channel in June 1940 to evacuate troops trapped on French beaches.

Now the craft could be removed to another part of the UK unless the trust can find a new base in the Solent area.

The revelation has angered Dunkirk veterans, many of whom owe their lives to the armada of privately owned vessels that ferried soldiers to safety.

Lionel Tucker, 87, of Wentworth Gardens, Southampton, is a former chairman of the city branch of the Dunkirk Veterans' Association.

He said: "Before the association was disbanded I often went out to Marchwood with other Dunkirk vets to have a look around.

"We were always interested in the restoration of the Little Ships and it's ridiculous to think that they could disappear."

Reg Morley, 83, of Killarney Close, Southampton, said: "I thought Marchwood was to be their permanent home. It would be a great blow if they were moved to another part of the country."

The craft are among 17 boats being restored at the former Husband's Shipyard at Cracknore Hard, which the trust has occupied since 1999.

Three years ago Bride Marine submitted plans to turn the shipyard into a maritime and aviation heritage centre, but New Forest councillors rejected the scheme on environmental grounds.

Now parent company Bride Excel has sold the site and the trust must move out. Operations manager Richard Hellyer said: "We are facing a desperate scenario. Our lease expires next year and we need to find an alternative home as quickly as possible. We're looking for a half-acre plot, preferably with access to a waterfront.

"Vosper's old place in Woolston would be ideal, but we've been told that no one can move on to the site for two or three years."

Three open days will be staged at Husband's Shipyard over the Easter weekend, starting today.

The trust will use the event to highlight its plight and raise some of the cash needed to transport the boats to new premises.

Mr Hellyer warned that the craft could be moved to somewhere such as Chatham or Dartmouth unless a suitable site was found in Hampshire.

New Forest MP Julian Lewis is pressing the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to help the trust in its search for alternative accommodation.

"It would be an appalling act of historical vandalism if this collection had to be dispersed," said Dr Lewis.

At one stage there was talk of Southampton Hall of Aviation moving to Marchwood if plans to turn the shipyard into a heritage centre were approved, but director Alan Jones pulled out of the scheme.

Mr Jones said: "The trust will be extremely hard pushed to find a new home for the boats. It's a very serious problem."