THE future of 150 jobs at one of the world's oldest boatyards at Gosport looked secure today as the Finnish boatbuilder Nautor clinched a deal to buy the famous Camper & Nicholson's yard.

The jobs had been under threat since the former owner, the Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside, ran into a financial crisis resulting in receivers being appointed three months ago.

But yesterday the Nautor group, owned by an international consortium headed by an Italian fashion business entrepreneur, and currently preparing a challenge with its Swan yachts for the Volvo Round the World Ocean Race due to start in the Solent in September, completed a deal to buy the historic yard.

One of the oldest boatyards in the world, Campers has been building boats at Gosport since 1782.

Italian entrepreneur and chairman of Nautor Leonardo Ferra-gamo said: "We could not conceive that such a prestigious and historical yard could be dismantled and its workforce, consisting of very skilled boat builders and capable craftsmen, made redundant. "The yard is in such an important area, as the Solent is one of the centres for yachting in the world."

"While we shall determinedly re-launch the traditional boat building ability of Camper & Nicholsons as a long-term project, we shall also, along with Hamble Yacht services, have the capacity to utilise these facilities to increase and improve the services for the existing fleet of Swans in the UK as well as to fine-tune the Swans that have just sailed their first 1,400 miles from Finland."

Nautor's managing director, Luciano Scaramuccia, is to become chairman of Camper & Nicholson.

Pat Lilley, a director of Nautor's English agents, and Mikael Still, Nautor's chief financial officer, are to be appointed to the board.