A PIRATE radio ship which was once anchored off Walton was towed through familiar waters on its way to a new home.

Pirate radio was born off the coast near Frinton and Walton with the launch of Radio Caroline in 1964.

Ships were moored in international waters to evade authorities while broadcasting pop music.

The Ross Revenge was one of the ships used to broadcast Radio Caroline from the Walton coast in the 1980s and 90s.

The former commercial trawler was decommissioned before being kitted out as a pirate radio vessel.

The ship ran aground in 1991, but was salvaged by a group of pirate radio enthusiasts called the Caroline Support Group.

It was moored in Tilbury while restoration work was carried out, and has now been towed to its new home on the River Blackwater, near Bradwell.

On its way along the coast, the Ross Revenge was visible from the Walton coast again, near its old pirate haunt.

Walton resident Tony Haggis was a skipper on the Ross Revenge.

He was codenamed Captain Campbell while on the ship to protect his real identity from the authorities.

Mr Haggis said: “It brought the memories flooding back to see it out near Walton again.