A GROUP of Christian missionaries have set sail from the Isle of Wight — and are heading for Papua New Guinea.

Guy Willson has been based on the Isle of Wight this year, at True Vine Church in Newport, and has assembled a crew of eight to undertake the journey and mission.

Some of the crew did their initial training at UKSA in Cowes and the ship has been prepared for its journey while Guy has been on the Island.

It left Shepards Wharf, Cowes, at 1pm on Thursday.

The crew are sailing on a 67ft two-mast steel schooner, an ex-Royal Navy ship.

They will navigate waters from the Isle of Wight to Falmouth, to Madeira, St Lucia, French Polynesia, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and finally arriving at their calling in Papua New Guinea.

They anticipate the journey will take five months, depending on the weather conditions in the Pacific.

Follow their story on www.livingwatermission.org