IT WAS part of one of the most iconic moments in British history; a fleet of little ships crossed the Channel to evacuate out troops from the beaches of France.

Now one of those ships used in the Dunkirk evacuation has a new home.

The Challenge, which has been settled in Southampton’s dock for generations, will be moving to a new home in Hull.

Owners of the steam tug, a vital part of Operation Dynamo which evacuated troops from the shores of Dunkirk in 1940, have announced the vessel will leave Southampton Water in order to give it pride of place on a marina.

The S T Challenge is looked after by the Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust (DLSRT), which rescued the ship in 1993 from being scrapped while it was abandoned by its former owners on the River Thames.

Due to its position on the docks and ABP asking the owners to move the ship on, the future of the symbolic boat was up in the air.

But now, with a new home, this important boat will remain upon the water.

Chairman of DLSRT, Jerry Lewis said that there were still numerous challenges ahead.

He said: “We had been talking to all sorts of people across the coast to try and find a spot for the T S Challenge and when the owners of the marina in Hull heard about its story they jumped at the chance of mooring it.

“The place feels different to Southampton in the fact that they seem more interested in heritage up there.

“It’s a lovely new home for the boat but we still have a lot of work to do.”

It comes weeks after the blockbuster ‘Dunkirk’ hit screens across the globe to rave reviews.

Locals had expressed fears about the ship after it had been left to rot in Southampton Water up until recently, despite the owners being given a £1 million Heritage Lottery Fund Grant to preserve its legacy.

Due to the ship’s location, visitors were unable to gain access to the vessel to understand its history.

Mr Lewis said the boat wasn’t yet ready to be transported up to Hull as it was not seaworthy. The owners now hope that by June 2018, people will once again be able to board the S T Challenge at its new home in Hull.