NO plan is in place to replace the crumbling Comet landmark - more than two years after a report commissioned by Inverclyde Council condemned the replica of the original 1812 paddle steamer.

Despite numerous offers of assistance from marine experts and local firms to create a long lasting tribute to the iconic symbol of the district's maritime heritage, those tasked with coming up with ideas still have a 'blank canvas', the Tele can reveal.

Meanwhile, the current 60-year-old ship — which was left to rot through a decade of neglect — has been allowed to become even more of a sad and dilapidated eyesore in its prominent location in the centre of Port Glasgow.

Municipal Buildings officials are due to report to councillors at a meeting of the Comet sub-committee in mid-January, but one elected member has revealed there are no firm plans on what to do about having a lasting legacy.

Port councillor Drew McKenzie said: "We've got to decide on what the vision is of what we want to do.

"Nothing is on the table and nothing is off the table.

"It's all down to finance and at the moment we don't have finance in place.

"Right now it's a blank canvas.

"It's not happening quickly enough for me."

The cost of replacing Comet has previously been estimated at between £250,000 and £750,000.

One potential option mooted earlier this year is a weather resistant 'glass reinforced plastic (GRP) replica'.

Councillor McKenzie said that an appeal to businesses and individuals with maritime expertise had received a 'good response'.

But there remains no clear idea on what to do next.

Cllr McKenzie said: "There is political will to do something and there are no dissenting voices."

Henry Bell's famous original Comet was Europe's first commercially successful passenger steamboat.

The current ship — an exact working replica, built in 1962 — underwent a £180,000 refurbishment at Ferguson's shipyard around a decade ago.

But a plan to protect her from the elements with a £165,000 canopy was abandoned by the council, paving the way for her to be exposed to the elements and rot.

Another Port councillor, Chris Curley, said: "It's quite difficult to move her now because of the condition she's in.

"She might need to be dismantled on site."

The council set aside £50,000 in April 2019 to help address structural issues with Comet, but a full year later the only money spent from that budget was on the £5k marine architect report on her condition.

Officials said at the time they were 'concerned' about the 'important symbol of Inverclyde and Port Glasgow's rich maritime history'.

The report, received by the council in November 2019 — four months before the first Covid lockdown — didn't go before councillors until October 2020.

A spokesman for the council said: "The future of the existing Comet replica is part of the ongoing discussions around how we commemorate PS Comet, which is a process that's continuing in partnership with the Port Glasgow Regeneration Forum and a Comet Working Group has been set up to consider this in detail."