Swallow with her sail up. Photo: Peter Willis.

The campaign to buy the film Swallow at the Turks boat auction has succeeded.

After a tense 40-minute online bid battle (the auction site runs an ‘overbidding’ time extension scheme) the group supported by the Nancy Blackett Trust saw the sale close on their final bid, made possible by the donations that had flooded in from all over the world during the last few days.

Thanking everyone who had contributed, co-organiser Magnus Smith asked anyone who had pledged but not yet sent in their contribution to please do so as soon as possible – and indeed anyone else who would like to show support for the boat.

He added “Today is just the beginning…”