Work on the £25m Cutty Sark Conservation Project, which has been three years in the planning, has begun.

The 19th century ship – the last surviving tea clipper in the world – will be lifted and suspended three feet above her current position and a glass apron will meet the ship at the waterline to protect the lower hull and allow visitors to walk under her.

The ship has been located in Greenwich for nearly 50 years and was opened as a visitor attraction by the Queen in June 1957.

The Cutty Sark Trust – which is organising the scheme – was awarded a £11.75m grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund in January this year, is still looking for around £5m worth of funding contributions to finish the project.

Sadly, the trust’s chair, Maurice de Rohan, died early in October after a long battle with cancer. Details: www.cuttysark.org.uk