She told the Daily Echo : "My family have owned the shipyard since the 1960s but it is now time to move on."

Andrew Archibald, senior associate at Humberts, told BB the site was effectively an industrial estate and there are 27 tenants - transport companies, engineering and marine organisations and individuals providing an income of £617,000 pa.

The site is close on 20 acres on the eastern bank of the river and includes a wet dock basin and three acres ripe for development. An additional 7.25 hectares of foreshore is leased from the Crown Estate.

According to Archibald:

"We 've had loads of interest, so much so that we are going to tender on May 31."

Archibald said his firm had received interest from over 100 people. "But how many will make an offer, I don't know."

Humberts expect to accept an offer in the first week of June.