Old sailing ship weighs anchor in North Devon

The sight of an old sailing ship has been delighting onlookers in coastal spots around North Devon today (Tuesday).

The ship is thought to be the Matthew of Bristol, a replica of a trading ship sailed by John Cabot and his crew to Newfoundland in 1497.
The square rigger was spotted anchored off Woolacombe by local photographer Brian Saunders, from Bideford, who said he thought the vessel was being filmed for a music video.
“There were people filming on board as well as small film crew wearing body cameras on the beach,” he said.
“Apparently it had been in the bay all morning and someone I spoke to on the beach said they thought it was being filmed for a pop video.”
At around 3pm today, Jody Hooker, from Barnstaple, used her iPhone to photograph the ship sail past Appledore and up the River Torridge towards Bideford.
The ship is owned by the Matthew of Bristol Trust and operated by a company called Shipshape and Bristol Fashioned Ltd.
The ship’s website says that the vessel is currently on ‘her most extensive tour ever’ and was scheduled to sail from Porishead to Padstow between March 5 and 8.