IT was hats off for the first boat to set sail on the long awaited Millennium Ribble Link.

The Purbeck -- a British Waterways work boat -- made the inaugural voyage on the link yesterday (Wednesday) as it neared completion.

The historic link has been 18 months in the making and connects the previously isolated Lancaster Canal with the Leeds and Liverpool canal and the rest of the inland waterway network.

This week the final obstacle separating the canal and the start of the link was removed ahead of a formal ribbon cutting ceremony by Lancaster Canal manager Debbie Lumb and Ribble Link project manager David Baldacchino as the boat entered the basin.

Although the link will not become fully operational until mid August, principal construction work of the waterway is expected to be completed on Friday, July 12.

Mr Baldacchino said: "It's great to see a boat in the scheme for the first time, a real milestone for the project.

"In the next few weeks we will be using this boat to commission the link before it comes fully operational."

The link is three miles in length, with a further six miles along Savick Brook, into the River Ribble and across the River Douglas, with the river crossing expected to take about two-and-a-half to three hours.

Once completed the waterway will be able to accommodate about 160 narrow boats with leisure crafts paying £35 one way and £60 return. Individually negotiated agreements will be made for commercial and working boats.

Now The Waterways Trust, which owns the canal, plan to carry out a period of trials and want feedback from users to help them fine tune the operation.

The start of the commissioning phrase will be marked by a three-day exhibition in Preston Dock from July 12-14, giving the public a chance to see how the link was constructed and hear illustrated talks from the project engineers.

The weekend will also be marked by the Ribble Link Trust's celebration cruise.

Log on to the British Waterways website at www.millenniumribblelink.co.uk for details.