Salvage bid

A wooden-hull minesweeper commanded by Prince Charles as a young Royal Navy lieutenant could be rescued by a last-ditch salvage bid. Divers will assess the state of HMS Bronington which sank at its moorings in Birkenhead six years ago.The HMS Bronington Preservation Trust has raised enough money from a crowdfunding campaign for divers to assess the ship in the hope of making one more attempt to save the ship. The Ministry of Defence has also agreed to run a training exercise next month using an underwater drone and a remotely operated vehicle to assess if the ship can take the strain of being pumped out and raised to the surface. The trust hopes the ship can be restored to sailing condition and be used as a museum ship and to deliver educational courses.