SHAMROCK, Cotehele's traditional Tamar sailing barge that once carried heavy cargo up and down the river, is back to work.

On Saturday September 3 she will be loaded with food and produce from the Tamar Valley and piloted down the Tamar where she will moor up at Mayflower Yard for the night.

On Sunday morning, skipper Shaune Blight will sail her into Mutton Cove in Devonport in time to unload the produce into wheelbarrows and bicycle-pulled trailers and join a massive procession from Devonport Guildhall to Devonport Park.

It's all part of a joint effort between the National Trust, Tamar Grow Local and the Friends of Devonport Park.

The delicious Tamar Valley cargo in this low carbon transportation scheme will be shown off at the Devonport Park Victorian Country Festival taking place in Devonport Park from noon to 6pm on September 4.

Shamrock is unique to the River Tamar area. She was built in 1899, and during her working career carried produce from the market gardens as well as manure, coal, limestone, sand and fertiliser. She is one of the last of these barges to survive and is enjoying her retirement on Cotehele Quay.

Shamrock recently took part in the filming of the BBC's Edwardian Farm series at nearby Morwellham Quay on the Devon side of the river.

Shaune Blight, who grew up in Devonport, is thrilled to have the chance to get Shamrock working again: 'It brings back a great family tradition for me as my great-grandad was a stevedore and waterman and the family has always worked on the river.

'Royal William Yard is almost right where Shamrock was built at Hawks Yard in 1899, so to be able to bring her back down here over 100 years later to unload produce again is really something special.'

Simon Platten, project manager for Tamar Grow Local, said: 'This event provides a wonderful opportunity for Tamar Grow Local to help demonstrate the low-carbon transportation of produce by river, while at the same time highlighting the proximity of quality vegetable production to the heart of Plymouth.'

The boat will carry honey from Tamar Grow Local training apiary, Tamar Valley Apple Juice produced at Green Bank Apples, flour milled at Cotehele Mill, potatoes and marrows from Harrowbarrow and Metherell Agricultural Society (HaMAS) and apples from Celia Steven, the great grand-daughter of Henry Merryweather, the first commercial grower of Bramley apples.

Shamrock's cargo and produce will be for sale at the Devonport Park Victorian Country Festival from noon to 6pm on Sunday September 4. After she's dropped off her load, the 57ft ketch-rigged barge can be visited all day at Royal William Yard in Plymouth.