Ribble shipping riddle solved

By JAMES ILLINGWORTH
A Hesketh Bank history buff claims to have solved a nautical mystery dating back to the 1940s.
In our April 27 Lookback Peter Trafford remembered spotting the Mauritania grounded in the River Douglas.
Reports had suggested that the ship was on her way to be refitted in Liverpool in the 1950s which would explain her appearance off the Fylde coast.
Peter was keen to find out what happened to the ship and if anyone had any memories of the day.
But Southport's David Bryant said: "As a resident of Hesketh Bank at the time I suggest the 'large' ship Peter saw was not the Mauritania but was actually the Theseus, a 6,500-tonne cargoship. She was being towed up the River Ribble to Thomas Ward Ltd. for scrapping in late 1946, early 1947.

There was a high tide with a strong gale blowing and she broke away from the tug boats.
She ended up drifting into the junction between the Ribble and the River Douglas."
After the tide went out, David was able to get a closer look: "Later I went with Keith Garlick from Hesketh Bank boatyard in his dinghy and we went right out to take some photographs. The ship was well and truly grounded."
The Theseus was later towed to Preston and scrapped.