The former head of the Royal Navy will be visiting the Medway Queen for the first time today (Friday).

Admiral Lord West was recently appointed as the patron for the famous paddle steamer and is coming down to see the ship, workshop and visitor centre at Gillingham Pier.

Gillingham and Rainham MP Rehman Chishti will be joining the Admiral on his inspection at 2pm.

The Medway Queen is the only estuary paddle steamer left in Britain and was the Heroine of Dunkirk, rescuing 7,000 men from the beaches of northern France during the Second World War.

Mr Chishti and Lord West will hold discussions with the Chairman of the Medway Queen Preservation Society, Brian Burtoncorr, about the campaign to fully restore the historic vessel.

Mr Chishti said: “The Medway Queen is an important part of our heritage and history. It is vital that she is restored to her former glory and I know that Admiral Lord West is keen to assist in any way he can to make this happen.”