FEARS are growing that an historic tall ship built in Port Glasgow will be lost forever.

Campaigners who have been battling to bring the Falls of Clyde back home from Hawaii fear that she is set to be destroyed after notice was given of a disposal order.

Falls of Clyde International have issued an 'emergency call to action' with the clocking ticking on the vessel's fate.

A statement from the group said: "The [Hawaii] Department of Transportation, Harbours Division, has posted a request for disposal with a drop-down date of May 21.

"Once she is scuttled this iconic piece of our maritime heritage is lost forever from future generations.

"We are in desperate need of your support, by speaking out and with financial contributions.

"We need to get the ship lifted to the River Clyde where she will be restored."

The Falls of Clyde is the last of eight iron clad cargo ships built on the Clyde at Port Glasgow in 1878 but has been in the US most of her life.

She is also a registered US national registered landmark.

Campaigners have been trying for years to bring her back home without success.

They have faced a series of obstacles and the pandemic proved the latest barrier.

David O'Neill, director of Falls of Clyde International, told the Telegraph: "We reached out to their harbours department about two months back to suggest that as Covid vaccines are being rolled out and that travel restrictions may be lowered, we could talk about working together to get her home.

"We have engaged two major offshore engineering, salvage and shipbroker companies who are helping us put together a professional proposal to manage this operation, not only to the satisfaction of the Hawaii authorities but also to Peel Ports, from whom we are asking for permission to bring her into the river."

The group argues that salvage and repatriation is the most cost effective and environmentally friendly option for the Falls.

It says: "We are prepared to safely remove her from Honolulu Harbour and bring her back to Port Glasgow, where she was built.

"We will use a submersible lift ship to float the Falls of Clyde on to a deck and then lass her down for the voyage back to Port Glasgow."

The group hope to lobby the Hawaiian Department of Transportation to rescind the disposal order and 'allow us the time needed to reclaim the Falls of Clyde'.

Their statement said: "We must prevent this substantial part of Hawaii’s and Scotland’s heritage from being discarded by deliberately sinking her at sea.

"We have the support of the entire maritime heritage community with support letters, and she is welcomed back in Scotland.

"We need support now to save our heritage and the future."

To help with the campaign visit www.foci.scot