‘I hope Sheffield sails again’

The man who designed the doomed destroyer HMS Sheffield said today: ‘I hope she’ll sail again.’

Mr Kenneth Purves, who led the drawing board team that created the Type 42 Sheffield-class warships, was speaking after Argentinian planes had crippled the Portsmouthbased destroyer with a fearsome Exocet missile assault.

He said he was stunned at hearing of the attack, and could not understand how so much damage had been done.

Said Mr. Purves: ‘I heard the news on the radio originally she was reported sunk - and that absolutely shattered me.’ Mr Purves expressed hope that she would rise phoenix-like from her crippling blow.