LIFE is sweet for a local boat company who have been inundated with day-trippers booking up to visit the sugar ship wreck off Greenock.

Clyde Charters was suffering like most businesses due to the pandemic and owner Ronnie Doolan had considered the possibility of closing until the crisis was over.

But Ronnie's idea to clean up their workboat Tonka - an ex-army landing craft - and use it to visit Captayannis, the Greek sugar-carrying vessel which sank in 1974, has turned their fortunes around in dramatic style.

Ronnie said: "We normally operate private luxury days out on our motor yacht, however the Covid guidelines made it impossible to provide these day-trips this year due to the difficulties with social distancing.

"Tonka is an open boat and it is easy to social distance and she can accommodate 12 passengers."

The firm posted an advert for short day trips to the Island of Little Cumbrae and out to the sugar boat wreck at the Tail of the Bank and were stunned by the reaction.

Ronnie said: "I had hoped we would get enough interest to generate some income to help see us through the winter months.

"To my surprise we were instantly flooded with enquiries.

"Our first two days providing trips for a total of 96 visitors to Little Cumbrae sold out in the first day.

"We then started taking bookings for our sugar boat trips and received over 2,000 applicants in two days.

"We operated for seven days straight departing on the hour and taking up to 12 passengers."

He says the trips have proved popular with people of all ages, from those who can remember the ship sinking, to inquisitive schoolchildren.

Ronnie said: "The volume of messages, emails and telephone calls we are receiving is incredible, it's just non stop.

"We seem to have stumbled across something that the people of Greenock are really interested in.

"People of all ages are coming out with us to see the wreck up close and get a selfie with it.

"The kids just love the fact that our boat is bright yellow and called Tonka and goes along quite fast.

"We see them standing on the quayside to get their picture taken with Tonka in the background and they love it."

This amazing response has inspired the company to make the trips a permanent feature for the future.

Clyde Charters are also offering trips free of charge to nurses who have been on the frontline battling coronavirus.

Ronnie added: "I would like to thank James Watt Dock marina for supporting us on this venture and allowing us to operate from their base."