THE 50th anniversary is being marked of a Cyclone hitting the waters around the Isle of Wight.

In 1968 British entrepreneur David Williams, now 83, became the first to circumnavigate the Island in a self-designed and built pedal boat he dubbed Cyclone.

The 60-mile 12.5 hour trip launched his Norfolk-based family business, Dad's Boats, which is still going strong.

To mark the anniversary year of his successful mission, the original craft will take pride of place among the company's modern-built counterparts when Dad's Boats arrives at the London Boat Show 2018, which runs at ExCeL London, from January 10 to 14.

Speaking about his extraordinary feat completed with friend Jeremy Buckland, David said: "We were in our 30s then and it is hard to believe that it in 2018 it will be 50 years.

"Importantly, it did prove that my design really was a vessel that could go places."

The circumnavigation was completed during the 1968 Cowes Week when an added complication was having to weave through the racing flotilla.

His hand-crafted, luxury pedal boats have a unique design which allows two people to face each other and pedal in comfort. Prices begin at £10,500.