Watch: Jeff's labour of love 'sets sail' from landlocked Shropshire

The 12 metre long cabin cruiser, Galene, was lifted out of her birthplace – a field in deepest, landlocked, Shropshire – and put onto the back of a lorry for her journey to the sea.

Well-wishers gathered to wave the boat off from its "moorings" at Soudley near Church Stretton.

It has captured the imagination of locals and visitors to the countryside, who have seen it evolve over the last decade and a half.

Mr Webb has even had a clergyman jokingly enquiring to him about the long range weather forecast in the area.

For the creator of Galene, it was another chapter in the dream that he has had since a teenager.

Now 72, Mr Webb had always dreamt of building his own boat.

And now he is ready to embark on an adventure in the dreamy surroundings of the Mediterranean.

He became a marine electrical engineer, travelling across the world to service a fleet of 300 ships. But it was only 15 years ago that he was able to start his own aquatic ambition.

He said: "I bought the plans for the boat and decided that it was time to begin. I didn't set myself a timetable I just kept working on the boat whenever I had the time."

Mr Webb's building project had to be put on hold a few years ago when he had heart problems and had to have quadruple heart bypass surgery.

But he was determined that it would not stop his from finishing Galene, named after the Greek goddess of calm seas.

"The heart surgery put me out of action for a couple of years but I hadn't put a deadline on finishing the boat and didn't force myself to get on with the work if I didn't feel like it."

The steel hulled cabin cruiser took shape in a field at the home of Mr Webb and his wife, Jean, who has supported the project.

"It has caused a great deal of interest and we have had lots of help support from friends and family who have spurred me on as well as interest from passers by. One vicar even asked me if there was something I knew about the weather forecast."

On Monday Galene was craned onto a large lorry for its journey down to Portsmouth and its new home at Portland, close to where the Olympic sailing took place in 2012.

Mr Webb will now spent time commissioning her before taking her to sea.

He said: "We shall probably take her along the English coast at first and then eventually go over to France. I would like to go down the River Somme and see some of the First World War places of interest. From there we could end up on the River Rhone and the canals that go done to the Med.

"I am sure we will be joined by family and friends at times as the boat has two double cabins. It will be fun to have visitors."