Visitor walkway shows HMS Victory like never before

Video report by ITV News Meridian's Richard Jones


When the world's most famous warship, HMS Victory, reopens to the public, visitors will be able to see the ship in a way they never have before.

A new walkway will open on August 24 which will take visitors down into the dock where Nelson's famous flagship lies.



Building the walkway has been made possible thanks to a massive multi-million pound restoration project which is seeking to solve a major problem.

For years HMS Victory was sagging under her own weight and her hull was being squeezed out of shape.

Now she has 136 brand new supports which replicate the support the ship would have at sea.

New support beams have been installed to stop the ship from sagging. Credit: ITV News Meridian

HMS Victory's home in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has had a tough few months with emergency funding needed to re-open, so being able to show visitors something new is a major boost.

The next step in the ship's restoration is removing the two main masts, but it will be many years before she's restored to her former glory.

The two masts will be removed in the next step of HMS Victory's renovation. Credit: ITV News Meridian