MODERN day pioneer Melvin Magnall has vowed Bury will "Sail into the Millennium"

His promise comes just days after the builder was forced to abandon his dream of recreating a remarkable journey first made in the 17th century.

Melvin had successfully completed half of the gruelling 5,400 trans-Atlantic trip on his sloop, The Henry Wood, before disaster struck leaving him no choice but to scrap the historic voyage.

He flew home in the early hours of Wednesday (May 31) after 33 days at sea.

Speaking from his home on Balmoral Close, Greenmount, the down but not out, Melvin told the Bury Times: "I will do it, I don't know when, but I will cross the Atlantic."

He added: "I was disappointed at having to abandon the voyage it was a very difficult decision to make."

Melvin had successfully completed three legs of his six-leg voyage. But just days after leaving Tenerife the crew were hit by an unexpected storm. They took shelter on a nearby island.

"It was then we found out we had major problems with the boat. The steering had gone, but we did not have the expertise to repair it. Time was also against us and had we decided to carry on we wouldn't have made it on time."

He added: "But there was no way I was prepared to risk the lives of my crew."

For the past two and half years Melvin has been obsessed with recreating the remarkable journey of Tottington Quaker Henry Wood. Wood fled the country to escape religious persecution in 1682 at the age of 80.

He settled in New Jersey and founded a settlement on the Delaware River which he named Woodbury.

Melvin, who is 62, had sold his house and ploughed his life-savings into the project. He had hoped to arrive in Woodbury by July 1 to be joined by 400 Bury folk who had flown over especially for his arrival.

He would canoe up Woodbury Creek to present the city's civic father's with two stones from Brookhouse Farm in Tottington, Wood's birthplace.

The presentation would have signalled the start of a seven-day festival.

"I will fly over to Woodbury. The council have given me £2,500 to charter a yacht to sail up the Delaware River. I will still canoe up the creek and present the stones to the city," he said.

He added determinedly: "I will still attempt the crossing in The Henry Wood, I'm not sure when, but it will happen."