Massey Shaw, a 50 ton ship that survived Dunkirk and fought fires in the London Blitz is expected to be restored to full working order thanks to a £425,000 Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Grant.

The funding, allocated to the Massey Shaw and Marine Vessel Preservation Society (MSPS), will pay for the restoration of the fireboat as well create an education programme which includes workshops of schools, open days and special events.

Volunteers will also receive training in computers and conservation work to help guide visitors around the vessel, which is one of the only surviving fireboats of her type in Europe.

Head of HLF London, Sue Bowers, said: "This project will preserve a remarkable vessel with a proud history and explain its achievements to a much larger audience of all ages. It will also be able to demonstrate its capabilities for many years to come."

The restoration will be backed by a partnership which includes the MSPS, The London Fire Brigade Museum and the The Cutty Sark Enterprises.

The ship, built in 1935, is currently docked at Depford Creek in south-east London and was designed to by London County Council to feature a shallow draft and a narrow beam to navigate the Thames bridges in any state of tide. It was named after Sir Eyre Massey Shaw, founder of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade - the former London Fire Brigade.

Visitors will be able to view the ship twice a week while it is undergoing restoration. Access periods will be extended once work is completed.