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| Bad storms defeat ferry salvagers | Bad storms defeat ferry salvagers |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Storms and high tides have delayed hopes of refloating the stricken Riverdance ferry on Blackpool beach. | Storms and high tides have delayed hopes of refloating the stricken Riverdance ferry on Blackpool beach. |
| Salvage experts, who were hoping to have moved the vessel by this week, have been defeated by the weather. | Salvage experts, who were hoping to have moved the vessel by this week, have been defeated by the weather. |
| The ferry had been heading from Warrenpoint, County Down, to Heysham, Lancashire, when she it hit by a freak wave on 31 January. | |
| It is now completely on its side and has sunk into the sand on the beach near Cleveleys. | |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is still optimistic the vessel can be refloated over the next couple of weeks. | The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is still optimistic the vessel can be refloated over the next couple of weeks. |
| Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Intervention and Salvage, said salvors remained committed to moving the ship. | |
| Since the boat arrived they've just been coming out in their thousands Terry Monaghan, cafe owner | |
| He said: "The salvors and everyone here have been doing a fantastic job but unfortunately they have just been beaten by the weather at each turn | |
| "In some cases it just looks as if we've been taking one step forward and two steps back." | |
| Despite the setbacks, Mr Shaw added: "The objective stays the same - to try and successfully move this vessel from the beach." | |
| Twenty-three people were lifted to safety from the ferry when it ran aground six weeks ago - 19 crew and four passengers. | |
| An unexpected outcome of the stricken ship has been a boost in the number of tourists visiting the North Shore area - an estimated 100,000. | |
| Terry Monaghan, a cafe owner in the area, said: "Since the boat arrived they've just been coming out in their thousands, not their hundreds, their thousands. It has been our major tourist attraction. | |
| "For the traders in Cleveleys I would say it has been a godsend, it really has." |