THE Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow, still standing as a proud beacon of Inverclyde's shipbuilding heritage, was teeming with excited spectators yesterday as the 363rd vessel launched under the firm's name entered the Clyde for the first time.

Glen Rosa, the second of two dual-fuel ferries being built for Caledonian MacBrayne, glided majestically into the water to cheers and applause after years of delay.

It was a day of celebration on the slipway as hundreds of members of the public joined workers and dignitaries inside and outside the gates for the official naming ceremony.

Qualified welder, Beth Atkinson, who completed her apprenticeship at the yard last year, smashed a specially-bottled Ardgowan Distillery 'Clydebuilt' whisky off the near-300 tonne ship - the heaviest in the yard's history at launch. She was considerably heavier than sister vessel, MV Glen Sannox, which launched in November 2017, as she made her way into the river in front of onlookers at Coronation Park and Newark Castle.