Work can get under way on an historic working boat and youngsters can learn valuable boat repair skills for the future with the help of an £800 donation towards the project.

Members of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) Chester and Merseyside branch say they are delighted to make the donation towards the repair work which will be carried out at the Ellesmere Port-based National Waterways Museum’s heritage boatyard by Boat Museum Society volunteers and trainees on a Heritage Lottery Fund ‘Keeping History Afloat’ scheme.

The narrowboat, Ferret , is said to have been a star performer at the museum enabling youngsters in particular to experience what life might have been like in the tiny boatman’s cabin.

Built in 1926 by Yarwoods of Northwich for carriers Fellows, Morton and Clayton, she regularly carried cargoes to Runcorn and Ellesmere Port before she was sold in 1964 to the Clark family, who are members of the IWA.

The Clarks based the boat at Preston Brook and then Barbridge and during the mid 60s, fitted a cabin and installed a vintage Bolinder engine with its highly prized hit and miss exhaust note.

Ferret served the Clarks well for many years of extensive cruising on the canal system, winning several awards at national waterways festivals.

Since arriving at the museum in 1983, the boat has seen considerable maintenance work undertaken by the Waterways Trust and Boat Museum Society volunteers, working with the London Canal Museum.

IWA Chester and Merseyside chairman Brian Phillips said: “We are delighted to provide funding towards Ferret ’s refurbishment, especially as it will also support young people learning valuable boat repair skills for the future.”

John Inch, general manager at the museum, said: “The Canal and River Trust would like to thank everyone at the IWA Chester and Merseyside branch for their generous donation and support which will make a real difference to the project.

“Now that Ferret has been craned out of the water we can make a start buying materials so that the restoration can get under way.”

Mike Turpin, from the Boat Museum Society, said: “We are pleased to see this support now widening to include our local IWA branch which is very appropriate in view of the local connections of Ferret and its ‘rescue’ by the Clark family, well known IWA members, who are still involved and currently helping us with on-going research.”

Ferret towed unpowered narrowboats known as butties and is paired with one named Ilkeston at the museum.