'The ferry is as much a part of the community as you and me' - GoFundMe page set up for Fleetwood ferry

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money to support the Fleetwood to Knott End ferry service has been set up - but the response so far has been weak.

Phil Green set up the fundraiser to simply support the ferry service, whatever the outcome following the shock announcment that it could fold.

The 55-year-old, who lives in Thornton, had planned to take his grandchildren for a ride acorss the River Wyre this weekend, but it is unlikely that will happen.

He said: “The response so far has been weak. There has been so much support for keeping the ferry operating and I though the best way to do that was to raise money to support it, a community effort.

“The ideal solution would be to for the existing company Wyre Marine Services to continue but if it’s about finances, this would support them.

“It would be great to see people getting behind this.”

Phil, who owns transport company Conex European Ltd said: “We were planning on taking the grandkids on ther ferry this weekend - they love it. To kids it’s like a big adventure.”

On the Go Fund Me page, Phil heads the information with: ‘The Fleetwood to Knott End ferry has been a part of the community on both sides of the river for as long as any of us can remember.

“It's not there to make a profit, it's there because we want it to be. It's as much a part of the community as you and me.”

Wyre Council, which co-funds the ferry with Lancashire County Council confirmed last week that the much-loved service was due to end tommorrow (April 15).

This latest statement comes months after an agreement appeared to have been reached that the service would run for another three years.

Wyre said the ferry’s future was now in doubt because “no compliant tenders were received” to operate it after the current contract with Wyre Marine Services ends.

Wyre Marine Services and Wyre Council are due to meet tomorrow.