Scientists use nanotechnology to preserve Royal Navy's HMS Victory in Portsmouth

• ITV News Meridian's Chlöe Oliver went to see conservation work taking place

Scientists are using nanotechnology to conserve HMS Victory for decades to come.

Vice Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship vessel, based in Portsmouth, has fallen victim to fungus and the destructive deathwatch beetle.

Conservation work by the University of Southampton and the National Museum of the Royal Navy will help to ensure the 18th century vessel is weatherproof and watertight for at least another 50 years.

Rachel Triggs, Engineering Consultant, University of Southampton, said: "Nanotechnology is any technology that is so small they behave in unpredictable ways and recently scientist have been using it in different ways and one of those ways is on wood and artefacts such as HMS Victory.

"I love being part of this and I love working on this, I came here as a child, my children have come here and hopefully my grandchildren will too."

HMS Victory was the most powerful type of ship of her day enduring six battles during her service of 40 years.

Jenna Marie Taylor, Principal Conservator of Objects, National Museum of the Royal Navy, said: "We’re in stage one at the moment, which you can see in the scaffolding, the next stage is to move to the outer edges of the ship.

"The mast and rigging will be worked on and its large project will take around 15 years in total involving lots of different specialisms and teams so hopefully it’ll all come together."

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