John Rowley who is the owner of the TSS Duke of Lancaster ship in north Wales, has slammed urban explorers who broke into the veteran vessel by "scaling the anchor chain" earlier this week. 

Rowley, who owns the dry docked vessel in Mostyn, says it was "raided" on Sunday night and Monday night.

The ship has not been used since the 1980's and has become something of a local curio in subsequent decades for people who have caught a glimpse of it while driving past on the coast road in Flintshire.

In 2014, it was painted black in a move that proved contentious with residents after a Latvian graffiti artist had been commissioned to spray paint the ship only two years prior.

But in the last week it has attracted some unwanted attention by urban explorers who broke into the ship in order to get a closer look and to explore the hull. According to Mr Rowley, the urban explorers "climbed over razor wired security fencing, scaled an anchor chain to get on an upper deck of the ship and then broke inside from there after helping others get onboard."

More from NorthWalesLive on the former 1,800 passenger 'steamer' which Afloat adds was built by Harland & Wolff in 1955 for British Rail/Sealink to serve a career throughout the Irish Sea.

The ferry which in the 1970's was converted to convey cars included service on the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route and last year a festival was planned at the dry-docked ship.

Owners of a former Irish Sea (Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead) ferry, Duke of Lancaster, announce tickets will go on sale for the first festival to take place at the home of the dry-docked historic ship in more than 30 years.

The anticipated 'Fun Ship Street Food Festival', as NorthWalesLive reports, is set to go ahead on the Llanerch y Mor dock in Flintshire between September 4 and 5 this year.

Llanerch y Mor Dock Holdings Ltd have been working to transform the site on the Dee Estuary over recent months in a bid to draw back the thousands of tourists the Duke of Lancaster (video) once attracted.

Organiser, Antony Rowley has confirmed tickets will go on sale on July 1 via Eventbrite.

Tickets will cost £5 per person and a live ticket link will become available on the Duke of Lancaster Appreciation Society Facebook page nearer the time, Mr Rowley has said.

It has been confirmed the event will see entertainment from Covent Garden street performers as well as a live wrestling show by Rhyl’s Britannia Wrestling, funfair rides and a visit from RNLI lifeboat crew.

Further details of the event can be read here.

#historicboats - A plan to turn a former Irish Sea passenger ferry in north Wales along the Flintshire coast into a zombie attraction have been postponed.

The Duke of Lancaster ship in the Dee estuary writes BBC News has been empty for more than 30 years and the Zombie Infection company had planned to start holding events this month.

However, confusion over land ownership has forced the firm to postpone.

Five days of events had been booked by customers, who have been offered refunds or a transfer.

Zombie Infection owner Greg Rudman said a road forming part of the nearby Wales Coastal Path would need to provide access for a fire truck, but needs widening and potholes to be filled.

However, he and the adjacent land owners are having trouble locating the owner to do the work.

To read more on the postponed project, click the link here.