VIDEO THOUSANDS of people have taken advantage of the fine weather over the last week to visit the replica of the 17th century vessel Discovery moored in the Wet Dock at Ipswich.

THOUSANDS of people have taken advantage of the fine weather over the last week to visit the replica of the 17th century vessel Discovery moored in the Wet Dock at Ipswich.

By the end of yesterday, nearly 5,000 people had been on the vessel which carried some of the original settlers across the Atlantic Ocean to found Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.

The vessel is helping to mark the 400th anniversary of foundation of the first colony in north America, and is visit is organised by the Ipswich Maritime Trust in association with the borough council.

Trust chairman Des Pawson said: “This visit has been very successful and has attracted people from a wide area.

“We had visitors here Sunday all the way from Milton Keynes. Most of the visitors are from nearer Ipswich - and it has been a very successful event.”

He said the size of the vessel surprised many people. He said: “It's very small and this carried 22 people, of which 15 were passengers.

“It must have been a very uncomfortable voyage lasting five months - it puts the problems faced by people in tourist-class airline seats in perspective.”

Discovery is moored outside the Old Custom House in Ipswich Wet Dock and was due to finish its visit to the town today.