Artificial reef could be sunk by Easter

The UK's largest artificial reef could be sunk in Torbay waters by next Easter.

The team bidding to secure Ark Royal as the world's second-largest artificial reef is also bidding for a smaller frigate to sink within the Bay.

Michael Byfield, of the Wreck the World project, said the frigate would cost up to £600,000 compared with the £6.5million bid for the Ark Royal.

And he told a Business Breakfast at the Riviera International Conference Centre that a celebrity with a major interest in maritime conservation was interested in the frigate project which could be filmed as a documentary.

Mr Byfield said while they were still awaiting the Government decision on Ark Royal's disposal, four Type-22 frigates were being made available which would be larger than the Scylla which was sunk off Plymouth as a reef.

Wreck the World has already expressed interest in bidding for one of the vessels which, at 148m, would be the largest artificial reef in the UK.

The vessel is expected to cost up to £600,000 but that cost could be offset by the sale of scrap metal when she is cleaned back to bare metal before being sunk.

As well as being an attraction in her own right, the wreck would also provide training dives if Ark Royal was secured. Mr Byfield said Weymouth was also interested in having a vessel.

He said the organisation was also being approached regarding creating other artificial reefs, for example sinking aircraft, trains, motor vehicles to create reefs to create homes for marine life elsewhere.

He said the frigate could be stripped and sunk in the Bay by next Easter.