ALMOST 200 people turned out to commemorate the Maid of the Loch’s 25th anniversary last weekend.

John Beveridge, chair of Loch Lomond Steamship Company, said: “In 25 years we’ve saved the Maid from sinking, rebuilt Balloch Pier, built a car park, and rebuilt a category A listed winchhouse and slipway - absolutely amazing.”

A special cake in the form of a paddlebox was cut using extra long knives to respect the Covid-19 social distancing required. Past and present board members and volunteers were there to enjoy the achievements, with visitors looking on.

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John added: “The charity’s aim is still to get this beautiful ship sailing again and given the huge amount of support from our volunteers and the public, we are more determined than ever to achieve this.”

Maid of the Loch is the last paddle steamer built in Britain in 1953 and the last in a long line of paddle steamers on Loch Lomond dating back to 1818.

Visit maidoftheloch.org for more information.

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