THE cramped existence of an officer aboard a Nelson-era British Navy frigate has been brought to life thanks to public donations.

A gift of £2,500 from the Friends of HMS Trincomalee, Britain's oldest warship, has helped fit out the Master's Cabin in the Hartlepool ship.

The tiny cabin, one of 16 cramped officers' rooms on the mess deck, now contains a fold-up bed, typical personal effects, a desk and an officer's uniform.

Bryn Hughes, general manager of the HMS Trincomalee Trust, said: "The room is very small. It's about the length of a man. But what is interesting is we have had sailors come on and tell us it is only about the same space as you get on a modern warship.

"But to an officer aboard a ship this small, with 240 other men for long periods of time, the ability to have your own private space was beyond price. The officers certainly treated it with great regard."

Mr Hughes is hoping for an increase in the number of visitors next year due to the Russell Crowe film Master and Commander.

He said: "They made a replica for the film but we are delighted to be able to show HMS Trincomalee as the real thing in Hartlepool."

Mr Hughes said HMS Trincomalee was brought up to Hartlepool from Portsmouth in 1987. However, money to restore the ship was not in place until backing was received from the now defunct Tees Development Corporation and Government and European Union money became available. Eventually, £10.5m was spent on the ship and Mr Hughes supervised 600,000 hours of work from hundreds of skilled craftsmen and technicians between 1989 and 2001.

The ship is believed to have paid for itself in millions of pounds into the local economy so far and has received royal patronage from the Duke of Edinburgh.

Chairman of the Friends of HMS Trincomalee, Nigel Hogg, said the fitted out master's cabin would further increase enjoyment for visitors.

He said: "We are pleased to make this donation and delighted that the public can now see at first hand what the officer's accommodation was like."

Published: 29/12/2003