A RETURN date has been confirmed for the Sandbanks Ferry after it was temporarily withdrawn due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Operators have announced the service will resume on Wednesday, June 17.

Crossings are due to begin from Sandbanks at 7am, with three trips an hour in each direction until the 11.10pm service from Studland.

Upon return to service, the ferry will only be accepting motorised vehicles until further notice.

While the service has been out of action, operators, the Sandbanks Ferry Company, has been able to carry out refit and maintenance works previously scheduled for November. As a result, this work later in the year will no longer be required.

Mike Kean, managing director of the Sandbanks Ferry Company, said: “We are very pleased to announce the scheduled return to service of the Sandbanks chain ferry.

"The decision to withdraw the service was not taken lightly, but we are glad to have used this time to carry out work which means the scheduled refit in November is no longer needed.

"We hope that this is welcome news for local commuters and businesses as they recover, as we do, from this nationwide lockdown.”