By Frances Earlam

THE WARSHIP Preservation Trust has been placed into voluntary liquidation despite offers of financial help to keep the trust's collection in Merseyside.

In the past week, Wirral Council has made £50,000 available while the Northwest Regional Development Agency has offered a support package of £112,000 yet the trustees have placed the trust into liquidation.

The future of the collection of ships and artefacts now hangs in the balance as Wirral council pledges to do all it can to keep it in the borough.

The trust was told to move its collection following a decision to develop the Grade II-listed former corn warehouses at East Float Dock in Wallasey, where the ships have been berthed for the last 15 years, by the end of February.

Chairman of the Warship Preservation Trust, Sir Philip Goodhart, said: "The Warship Preservation Trust has gone into voluntary liquidation on Friday February 24.

"Wirral Borough Council has offered the Trust some help and The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company has provisionally offered a new site for the collection.

"However, without a replacement berthing agreement, the Trust has legally nowhere to locate the ships and related artefacts as from February 28 2006.

"In the circumstances, the trustees had no alternative but to take the decision today to place the trust into liquidation."

He added: "I very much hope that the finest collection of 20th century warships in the country can be kept together on Merseyside.

"The National Historic Ships Committee and the World Ship Trust have recognised the importance of our collection."

Stephen Maddox, Chief Executive of Wirral Council, said: "Wirral Council regrets the Warship Preservation Trust's decision to go into voluntary liquidation.

"We have worked closely with the Trust, particularly over the last six months, to try and address some of the internal financial issues they faced.

"The leaders of all the Council's three political groups, Cllr Foulkes, Cllr. Kelly and Cllr. Green, have been kept fully informed of developments, and remain committed to ensuring that the Council does all that can be done to seek a successful resolution to this matter.

"Despite the Trust's decision to liquidate we remain committed to retaining this valuable tourism asset in Wirral.

"We will now work closely with the Liquidator and all other interested parties to seek a solution that could keep the Ships together as a collection."