As she gently nestles in Lowestoft's harbour she is the last of her kind and a reminder of the town's large fishing fleet from the 1960s.

Eastern Daily Press:

The 53-year-old Mincarlo sidewinder trawler is the only surviving fishing vessel built in Lowestoft with an engine made in the town.

And now the trust that looks after her is appealing for volunteers so people interested in Lowestoft's maritime heritage can clamber aboard her in even greater numbers.

The Lydia Eva and Mincarlo Trust has about half-a-dozen volunteers who will act as guides when the trawler opens her hatches at its Heritage Quay home to visitors between May and October.

However, due to the number of volunteers the trust can only open her for two days a week.

Ideally it would like to open her four or five days a week but to do so will need fresh recruits, ideally ex-fishermen, to act as guides.

The trust also needs people with accountancy, health and safety and fundraising backgrounds to provide expertise and advice to help run and draw in fresh funds for the Mincarlo, which has a new-look museum in its hull.

Alan Bagley, trust chairman, said: 'The Mincarlo symbolises the fishing story of Lowestoft in the 1960s and we want as many people as possible to find out about her. We have a small group of volunteers who work like Trojans, but the more volunteers we get the more we can open her up.'

The Mincarlo was built by Brooke Marine and launched in 1961. She was among the top half-dozen of the town's 60-strong fishing fleet in terms of catches.

She spent 13 years as a trawler and in 1977 was converted into a rig standby vessel. The trust also looks after Great Yarmouth's Lydia Eva, the last remaining surviving steam-powered herring drifter.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer on the Mincarlo should call Mr Bagley on 01502 740402.