The Skylark IX is set to begin the next stage of her recovery.

Veterans, serving military, the public and all supporters are invited to bid farewell to Skylark, as she (temporarily) leaves West Dunbartonshire to go to The Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine, where restoration work will begin later this year.

This Dunkirk little ship has been a feature in West Dunbartonshire for almost 45 years, and she herself will be 90 next year.

The ship has been saved for posterity and all through the dedication and hard work of the Skylark IX Recovery Trust and the many supporters locally and throughout the UK and worldwide, who have followed her progress since she was rescued from a watery grave in 2013.

Once again, she has been entrusted to the safe hands of Galt Transport, who will deliver her to the Scottish Maritime Museum, Dumbarton at 10am on Saturday, May 21.

A spokeswoman for the recovery trust told the Reporter: "We hope that folks will come along and enjoy a cup of tea and a scone served by our landgirls and give Scotland's little ship the send off she deserves."

Skylark will be at the museum until noon and Galt Transport will then make the journey to Irvine, where she will be restored over the next 18 months to two years.

The Trust will still be very much involved in her restoration, as a small team from Alternatives community based drug project, who have been involved with the Skylark skills project, will join the boat builders at Irvine once a week to assist with the restoration work and in doing so, will work towards gaining a qualification in woodworking.

Skylark IX's story is now known by many, and as we move towards the 76th anniversary of Operation Dynamo, we will once again remember this brave little ship who rescued over 600 men from the shores of Dunkirk and pay tribute to the men who served, the men who lost their lives and the men who queued on the beaches waiting for a little ship like Skylark IX to save them.

All Veterans and Skylark supporters are invited to join us for the Dunkirk Parade on Sunday, May 22. The parade leaves the Coop carpark at 10.30am and the service in Jamestown parish church begins at 11am.

There will also be a special combined service remembering the Battle of Jutland in WWI and Skylark and the anniversary of Dunkirk in WWII ; this service will be held in Glasgow Cathedral on Sunday, May 29.