AN 80-year-old motor torpedo boat with a rich history of war service has been broken up at Bembridge Harbour.

Built in 1939 at Thornycroft Hampton, the boat served throughout the entire war.

With four machine guns and two torpedoes, the boat was heavily armed, but it had no defensive armour.

Instead, it relied on speeds of 33 knots to get itself out of trouble.

It was the first coastal defence vessel to shoot down an enemy aircraft and, strangely, it was built with Italian engines, which were made prior to hostilities.