THE artwork by Sir Peter Blake which adorns the Snowdrop ferry will be retained say Mersey Ferry bosses.

Snowdrop was set to return to her original paintwork in coming weeks but bosses say that the Everybody Razzle Dazzle artwork will stay until the vessel is taken out of service to make way for the new Mersey Ferry in the distant future.

Introduced in 2015 as part of an initial two-year long project - led by Liverpool Biennial with 14-18 NOW and Tate Liverpool, the design was then extended to four years, until 2019.

Now it will continue to dazzle visitors - even when it goes in for its regular out of water survey in February.

Cllr Liam Robinson, transport portfolio holder for Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: "It's fantastic news that we will continue to see the Dazzle Ferry brightening up the river for the foreseeable future.

“It’s been a popular feature on the waterfront over the last four years and I’m sure it will continue to be up until the new Mersey Ferry comes into service.”

Plans for a new vessel are also now underway, with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram announcing the start of the tender process before Christmas.

Director of Liverpool Biennial Sally Tallant said: “Everybody Razzle Dazzle is one of the city’s iconic public artworks.

"We are thrilled that, with the artist’s support, Snowdrop will remain dazzled until the end of its service.

“It has become a recognisable and much-loved feature of Liverpool’s Waterfront, alongside other sculptures by internationally-renowned artists, such as the recently-launched Liverpool Mountain by Ugo Rondinone on the Royal Albert Dock.”

To help celebrate The Snowdrop and The Royal Iris' 60th anniversary, Mersey Ferries will soon be launching an appeal for photographs and memories connected to the ferries' launches in 1959.