An archaeology project to uncover the secrets of a historic shipwreck is battling for a prestigious national award.

The Southend Museums Service has been recognised for its London Shipwreck Project, which aims to sort and conserve artefacts from a 17th century wreckage.

The project has been shortlisted for the Museums and Heritage Awards for Excellence, as a project with a limited budget.

The long-forgotten vessel, the London, mysteriously blew up at the Nore, near Southend, and sank on March 7, 1665.

Its wreckage was first rediscovered in 2005 during works for the London Gateway.

Since then, various divers have carried out underwater investigations to monitor the wreckage.

Last year, Southend Museums Service won a grant from the Esmee Fairburn Collections Fund to curate, conserve and display finds from the wreck and develop a local community project.

The scheme has enlisted residents to help in the preservation work, including recruiting and training 17 volunteers.

They were stationed at the end of the pier where passers by could watch them in action.

Among the volunteers was photographer Luke Mair, whose pictures documenting the project will be on view at the town’s Beecroft Art Gallery from March 28 to June 27.

Graham Longley, Southend councillor for tourism, said: “To be shortlisted for these very significant awards is an excellent achievement for this amazing project.

“It created great interest at the end of the pier last summer – and people can continue to feel involved by seeing the pictures on show shortly at the Beecroft Gallery.

These highlight key moments during the project and show how Southend people worked together to preserve their fascinating heritage.

“This exhibition is very fitting way to mark the 350th anniversary of the sinking of this vessel at the Nore near Southend, which was the traditional fleet assembly point in the Thames Estuary.”

The London was built in 1656 and was part of an English squadron sent to the Netherlands in 1660 to restore Charles II to the English throne.

The preservation project will battle against rivals including the Victoria and Albert Museum at a ceremony in London on April 29.