The future of the stricken Riverdance ferry is set to be decided before the end of the week with the awarding of a contract to remove the boat from the coast.

A host of firms have spent the last two weeks compiling bids and strategies to remove the vessel, which has been beached just south of Cleveleys since January 31.

A meeting between the boat's owners, Seatruck Ferries Ltd, insurers and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCGA) was due to take place yesterday (Wednesday) or today, to decide which bid to move forward with.

Plans to refloat the ship have continually failed due to bad weather, and the Riverdance now lies completely on its side, and is sinking into the sand.

Tony Redding, spokesman for Seatruck Ferries Ltd, said: "A contract is due to be awarded before the end of the week.

"We have had a number of bidders for the job, and have examined them all carefully.

"At the moment we are in not a position to disclose which bid has been successful, and what will happen next, but we believe a resolution is close."

The MCGA echoed those comments when they said an announcement on the boat's future was "imminent".

The Riverdance has become the forgotten ferry in recent weeks, with visitors numbers to the site dropping drastically since Easter.

Crowds had flocked to the Fylde coast to see the boat in the weeks after it ran aground, but interest in the ferry has died down, and local residents are now keen to see the vessel moved from the beach.