A TRUST and a university have been rewarded for helping to preserve the Cutty Sark.

Experts at the University of Greenwich and charity the Cutty Sark Trust have given a regional Best Partnership for their work together.

Dr Stoyan Stoyanov and Professor Chris Bailey from the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences have been helping the trust preserve the Victorian tea clipper. (MARK CHECKING HOW LONG WORK BEEN GOING ON) This is by using computer software to ensure the ship is dismantled and restored in the safest possible way.

The award was made by the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, an organisation which helps businesses benefit from university expertise.

It says the partnership between the university and the trust has yielded dramatic results.

Staff were given a glass trophy at an awards ceremony held in Westminster.

Professor Bailey said: "We've had a very successful partnership so far, which we want to continue to help conserve the ship for the next 50 years."