ONE of the UK's most important heritage sailing ships is heading for the Canaries for a season of winter sun adventure cruises.

The ship was built in Bridgwater in Somerset in 1907 and sailed thousands of journeys as a cargo vessel carrying tiles and bricks, coal and clay.

Since 1965, Irene, has been owned privately and has been lovingly restored, including major work after a disastrous fire sank her in the Caribbean in 2003.

Irene was awarded the prestigious UK Flagship of the year in 2015 in recognition of the active role she plays in promoting our maritime heritage.

She is part of the National Historic Ships fleet of important working vessels that played such a vital role in our history.

The voyage from Gloucester to Tenerife will be undertaken by Irene’s professional crew along with four young, aspiring sailors who will receive training in sailing an historic ship.

These youngsters will also benefit from the vast experience of Dr Leslie Morrish who has owned and sailed Irene since 1965.

Now in his eighties, Dr Morrish is sailing with Irene again to continue his fifty years of work to ensure traditional sailing skills are not lost.

In preparation for this voyage, the famous West Country Trading Ketch had an extensive refit at Tommi Nielsen’s shipyard in Gloucester before setting off down the Sharpness Canal, the Bristol Channel and out to sea.

Irene’s skipper, 30-year-old, Charlie Robertson from Lyme Regis in Dorset said: “It’s a great privilege to have been Irene’s captain for the past three years.

"This is her biggest trip for some time and the crew have been working incredibly hard to make sure she is in tip top condition ready for our guests when we get south.

"I’d particularly like to pay tribute to the shipwrights at Tommi’s yard in Gloucester who did a fantastic job in the dry dock, made us a fine new bowsprit and checked out the rigging to make sure everything is safe.

"Irene might be a grand survivor from a bygone era but into the 21st century we are offering our customers an exciting and safe adventurous experience.”