Following the announcement to close the Rathlin Island ferry service off Co. Antrim due to "financial difficulty", a new ferry operator has been found to run the route to Ballycastle Harbour.

The final sailing by Rathlin Island Ferry Limited, which ran the route on behalf of the Department of Infrastruture was announced yesterday. This involved an afternoon sailing by the 6 vehicle/140 passenger car-ferry Spirit of Rathlin which departed from the mainland to Church Bay on the island.

The new owner is Dunaverty Limited which will first take over passenger-only ferry crossings from Friday. These 25 minutes crossings will run to a schedule of five return sailings a day.

As for resuming the vehicle ferry service which takes 40 minutes, this will operate once approvals are in put in place.

According to the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) after relevant approvals have been made with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), a resumption to a full timetable of scheduled sailings would commence including the Department’s vehicle carrying vessel, the Spirit of Rathlin.

The new contract announced by the DFI to run the service was welcomed by Charles Stewart of Dunaverty Limited who also owns and operates Kintra Tours.  “I am delighted to have been awarded the contract to operate the ferry service between Rathlin Island and Ballycastle" and he looked forward to working with the Department of Infrastructure on what he described as a "lifeline service".

BBC News NI has more on the development to reinstate the Rathlin Island ferry route serving the 150 populated island which is four miles long and 2 and half miles mile wide on the east side of the island.