Images show inside first new Mersey ferry in 60 years

New images showing the interior of Merseyside's newest publicly owned ferry have been released.

The Royal Daffodil, which is the first new Mersey ferry in 60 years, has been officially handed over from Wirral shipbuilder Cammell Laird to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and is due to set sail for the first time later this year.

The photographs show the lounge on the main deck at the rear of the ferry, as well as the bridge and decking area.

Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "This is a proud moment for our region and a big step forward for our public transport network."

The new ferry features open-plan decks, new seating areas, and bars.

It has also been fitted with dedicated event spaces that transform the ferry into a venue for conferences, corporate functions and private celebrations, the authority said.

The design is intended to be "fully accessible", including a dedicated lift providing easy access to the upper deck.

Rotheram added: "Just like our new publicly owned trains and modern bus fleet, this new ferry sits alongside the very best of our transport investments.

"We want people to step aboard and be genuinely wowed from the moment they arrive."

The Royal Daffodil was built as part of a £26m investment in modernising the Mersey Ferries fleet.

It replaces the Royal Iris, which featured in the 1965 film Ferry Cross the Mersey, starring the band Gerry and the Pacemakers, who also sang the legendary title song.

Over the coming months, there will be a programme of captain and crew training, ahead of its launch later this year.

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