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Work will be carried out on the paddle steamer Wingfield Castle, which is moored in Jackson Dock, as part of the Museum of Hartlepool collection, following its closure to the public a number of years ago.

The emergency repairs – which will take three months to complete – will tackle the issue of water leaking through the decks into the bilges due to weathering and help protect the vessel until the start of wider restoration work.

It will be carried out by specialist marine engineering company Southbay Civil Engineering.

Pictured beside the paddle steamer Wingfield Castle are, from left, Southbay Civil Engineering’s senior site agent Ashley Raine and contracts manager Stephen Truscott, Hartlepool Borough Council managing director Denise McGuckin, Councillor Bob Buchan and council leader Councillor Mike Young.

Built in Hartlepool by William Gray and Company and launched in 1934, the PS Wingfield Castle formerly served as a Humber Estuary ferry and later featured in the 1980 film The Elephant Man.

Councillor Mike Young, leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “The Wingfield Castle is a much-loved and important part of Hartlepool’s maritime heritage.

“I am delighted that we now have the funding in place to be able to enable us to start these initial repairs which will set us on course for the major restoration of the Wingfield Castle.”

He added this will secure “her long-term future as a visitor attraction as part of our massive revitalisation of the waterfront area”.

Council officers at a meeting last year, where the repair works were supported, noted the paddle steamer was in “a significant state of disrepair”.

Emergency repairs will include draining the bilges, installing bilge pumps and an alarm to monitor water levels, and removing timber decking in places.

Work will take place to make the bridge deck safe and remove all loose or degraded timbers, along with removing glass skylights for conservation and replacing them with a temporary covering.

Finally the “concrete screed” on the promenade and the timbers on the main deck will be removed to allow inspection of steel plating underneath and the installation of a temporary covering.

Wider repairs and renovation will be phased over the next two years, with the final year of restoration requiring the Wingfield Castle to be dry docked in the Trincomalee Dock while HMS Trincomalee is temporarily floated out.

£300,000 repairs to begin on Hartlepool film star tourist attraction Wingfield Castle