Sea cadets issue a call to arms to residents to help clean up rubbish from River Colne

The ship, the home of Colchester Sea Cadets, is a bright point on a murky stretch of the River Colne.

Now Mr Adams, 46, is calling on residents to try and revitalise the river, frequently festooned with bikes, tyres and other rubbish.

Problems came to a head recently, when the group’s motorboat got stuck in rubbish which had been thrown into the river.

“It cost us an awful lot of money to have our motorboat repaired, because it got entangled in a bed,” Mr Adams said.

“Not a mattress, but the base and the springs.”

The regeneration of the Hythe, which has seen the quays spruced up and thousands of new homes built, has stalled somewhat in recent years.

Despite the best efforts of Colchester Council and other groups, English Heritage has classified much of it as “at risk”.

Mr Adams can see the problems only too clearly from the TS Colne Light.

“As has been mentioned before, it’s an eyesore,” he said.

“It leaves it subject to a great deal of vandalism. It’s becoming a home for the lesser mortals of society. The reality is we’re not going to eliminate it. But for us the regeneration will assist in eliminating social problems.”

Foremost among Mr Adams’ concerns is the river itself.

The 32 sea cadets, aged between ten and 18, quite naturally see the river as a learning resource – an advantage other cadet groups nearby do not have access to.

Twice a week and on many weekends, they learn sailing, boatwork, ropework, navigation and marine engineering using the original engines of the ship.

“It’s not just playing ping pong,” Mr Adams said: “We follow the discipline of the Royal Navy, doing sailing, camping and marching.

“The river is tidal based, which gives the cadets the opportunity to understand how the tides and waterways work.”

But this particular classroom leaves a lot to be desired.

“Our part in looking at the regeneration project is to tidy up the place,” Mr Adams continues.

“From the point of view of us, and other residents of the Hythe, we’re somewhat concerned that the project is lapsing, because there are many areas of the Hythe which are falling into disrepair.

“One of those is the condition of the Colne itself.

“We use it as a boating area when we’re not dodging shopping trolleys, tyres and roadsigns. It does, at times, restrict activities on the water. It has silted up a lot, but it’s also the rubbish in there.

“What concerns us especially is we’re looking to attract visitors with their boats, but quite simply, the state of the Colne does put many people off.”

The ship was built in 1953 and served Trinity House, the general lighthouse authority for the nation, at a number of coastal sites in its life.

Colchester Sea Cadets acquired the ship in 1990, and it was officially commissioned in its new role by Prince Andrew the following year.

Mr Adams describes the ship as a “Tardis” as it is larger on the inside than it seems at first glance, even hosting wedding receptions.

The recent Heritage Open Day saw more than 400 travel over the gangway to see the quarterdeck, the galley and the engine room.

But Mr Adams wants to make more of the ship as a potential focal point for visitors to the Hythe.

Visitors are welcome between 7pm to 9pm on Mondays and Wednesdays to see the cadets at work, as they raise the Ensign and sound the ships bell. He said: “We want to make the people of Colchester aware that there is a big red lightship here. It’s a special feature of Colchester.”