Orford Ness National Trust site in Suffolk to get new landing craft to improve public and wheelchair access

The National Trust has announced that step-free access to its scenic Orford Trust site will be provided by a landing craft, currently under construction.

Currently, visitors to Orford Ness – a haven for wildlife – reach it via a ferry at Orford Quay, using a set of narrow steps when the tide is low.

This often imposes difficulties on wheelchair users and families with buggies, however.

The National Trust has commissioned a new 12-metre landing craft to be built by Portsmouth firm PDL Marine, to increase accessibility to the site.

Orford Ness was formerly used by the military, and David Rutter, a member of the team working on the new craft, says his father was part of a bomb squad which helped clear the site after it was retired.

Mr Rutter said: “He [my father] never explained what he did there, so to have a tour of the Ness and to understand what he did was so enlightening, even the original accommodation block was still standing, so to be able to build a vessel for the National Trust and at Orford of all places feels quite special and completes the circle.”

Orford Ness boat supervisor Ollie Page said: “It was great to see the progress that is being made on the new vessel. It was quite emotional, actually.

“We’ve spent a long time talking about it, to ensure we get the right vessel for what we need, and to see it finally under construction was really special.

“I can’t wait for it to arrive at Orford Ness later this year and to bring many more people across the river, who might not have been able to before.”