A RESCUE bid is being mounted to save Minehead’s iconic big guns - three cannon which have guarded the harbour for more than 300 years and are now in urgent need of restoration.

A specialist firm quoted £10,000 to rebuild the guns, demi-culverins from the War of the Spanish Succession.

But now, local community groups and organisations have offered to do the work for nothing, once permission can be obtained from Somerset Council, which owns the guns.

Project leader Rod Scotney, of the recently-formed Friends of Minehead Harbour, said: “Everything is in place to start the job apart from permission from the council.

“We have been trying for three months to get the go-ahead and have heard absolutely nothing.

“We have tried about six times to find out the cause for the delay but have yet to receive any answer.

“We have not been able to communicate with the council directly and find out what is going on.

“The cannons are now in a very sorry state.

“The wheels have started to collapse with wood rot and the carriages are also falling apart.

“What is meant to be a tourist attraction could become a health and safety hazard to the public if something is not done.

“It is very frustrating when the guns could be expertly restored with absolutely no cost to the council.

“All we ask is that somebody will get in touch with us so that this exciting project can go ahead and make the harbour even more attractive to visitors.”

Five guns arrived in Minehead in 1702 as part of the harbour defences.

Later, they were sunk, muzzle-first, into the quay and used as bollards to moor ships.

Three were dug up in 1979 and after restoration were displayed on reproduction gun carriages near the harbour entrance.

The two remaining guns embedded in the quay were controversially removed without planning permission at the time by the then-Somerset County Council in 2023.

They are now in storage in the Somerset Heritage Centre, Norton Fitzwarren.

Mr Scotney said: “The fact is that the materials, skilled labour, and enthusiasm for this project are already available in Minehead.

“For instance, craftsmen from the Minehead Shed charity have offered to build the new carriages and wood has already been offered by Exmoor National Park Authority, which is very enthusiastic about the project.

“This could be either oak or elm, which would have been used when the guns were made, and much more longer-lasting than the softwood used for the current carriages.

“We will also be working from authentic Naval patterns and the finished carriages will be historically more accurate than the present ones.”

Minehead Shed chairman Douglas Human said: “We are really enthusiastic about restoring the guns and have the skills and equipment to do a really good job.

“Our members would love to take on this commission and we cannot wait to get started.”

Somerset Council was asked to comment, but had not responded at the time of publication.