A BOAT which capsized in a harbour three years ago is finally going to be resurrected.

The Llys Helig, which was moored at Burnham Quay and capsized in March 2017, is being raised from the water this week.

The new owner plans to refloat the boat, move it away to a shipyard and restore it to its original specifications as a 1922 ocean-going “gentleman’s yacht”.

Work is underway now to clear mud and debris from the vessel and to remove a heavy brick chimney which was added during her 20 years as a houseboat.

Burnham mayor Wendy Stamp said: “Burnham on Crouch Town Council wishes all parties success in raising the Llys Helig after such a considerable amount of time being in its sad current state .

“Whilst it has provided a tourist attraction for visitors, it is of great relief she is being removed and restored.

“It is to be applauded the owner has sent out information on the process but I also wish to ask everyone to take into consideration immediate residents and business.”

It has taken two years to get the necessary work permits and work out how to lift the 100-tonne vessel out of four feet of shallow water and mud.

The location means it would not be practical to get cranes to the boat either on land or water to help with the salvage.

The hull will be repaired and airbags will be used to bring her back upright and above the waterline.

Llys Helig was commissioned from the famous shipbuilders Thornycroft in Southampton shortly after the First World War.

When she was launched in 1922 she was a state-of-the-art vessel and one of the fastest of her type with a top speed of 15 knots.

Owner W E Corlett – a Liverpool lawyer and chairman of the Higsons Brewing company – kept the boat in Conwy harbour for more than 40 years and used her for day trips around the west coast to Ireland and Scotland.

From the 1960s she had a series of owners, cruising the Mediterranean out of the French port of Cannes under the name of Les Autres and then Turkey as Siskebab III.

She came to Burnham over 20 years ago under the ownership of Malcolm Pool, the boss of Pirate Radio Station Radio Caroline.

After passing through a number of residential owners she took on water in March 2017 and capsized, slowly filling with mud.

A council spokesman said: “All of the required consents are in place for the works and temporary fencing and boarding has been put up along the quay next to the berth.

“This will be removed once the works are complete.”