ESSENTIAL maintenance and inspection work to the Windermere Ferry has progressed well and the crew are now looking forward to getting it back on the water.

It is anticipated the ferry will be towed back up to Ferry Nab on Monday March 25, it will then take three days to reconnect the ferry onto its cable and to carry out further testing.

The final inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) of the Mallard has now been confirmed as Friday March 29, subject to MCA signoff the ferry services will start on Friday evening, and operate as normal for the Easter holidays on Saturday March 30.

A spokesman from Cumbria County Council said: “We apologise again for any inconvenience that users have experienced whilst we carried out this essential maintenance.”