HMS Manchester.

We are below decks of HMS Manchester as the crew follow Drug Runners Boats via Radar. They were very successful by managing to stop Cocaine Smugglers and helping the Caribbean Police to make arrests. As members of the public we were not allowed to see the Top Secret Equipment on the ship. 

HMS Manchester.

A sad time for this Type 42 Destroyer called HMS Manchester. The public are allowed on board for the last time, before being scrapped. Thirty Years a go it was named Manchester by the then Lord Mayor of Manchester in the Canal near Manchester. Owing to having Extensive Alterations to it's Superstructure it can no longer get up the Canal..So it is parked up near the Liver Buildings at Liverpool.

HMS Manchester.

On Board the Ship members of the public have a Good Look Round the Upper Deck before it goes down to Portsmouth to be Scrapped. It is 30 years old and is past it's Best. The public were not allowed down below to see the Radar Workshops, but on a TV program about Drugs in the Caribbean we were shown below decks to see the Destroyer Working.

The Present Lord Mayor

The Captain of HMS Manchester  and the present Lord Mayor of Manchester salutes a Plaque in the Cathedral Grounds. Commemorating the naming of the Destroyer Manchester. The Lady in the Green Coat Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw now  96 yrs is with them. She was the Lord Mayoress 30 years ago when the ship was commissioned and was responsible for getting the New Destroyer Named and giving it the Freedom of the City. (She herself has the Freedom of the City). A Great Lady.

On the March to Manchester Town Hall.

The Freedom of the City Placard is escorted to the Town hall by the Sailors of the Destroyer with Drawn Bayonets as part of the Farewell Presentation, and given back to the Lord Mayor and the City after 30 years.

The Start of the March to the Town Hall.

On a very wet day the Band Played The Tune " Hearts of Oak are our Ships" as the Sailors marched with fixed bayonets to hand back the Freedom of the City back to Manchester Town Hall. Their Ship HMS Manchester is being Decommissioned and Cut Up for Scrap, after 30 years of Duty. The Colours were deposited at the Cathedral earlier.

The Year of the Rabbit.

 This is the Year of the Rabbit. It's said to be a Lucky Year for all Chinese People. Here we see the Dragon emerging from Manchester Town Hall. The dragon is 175 feet long from head to toe, and needs an army of helpers to control it. The smoke is from Chinese Crackers set off to Ward off Evil Spirits.