Great-great niece of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton allowed to name her cafe boat “Endurance”

The great-great niece of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton has been allowed to name her cafe boat “Endurance” after his famous ship - the first person given permission to do so.

Anna Shackleton, 33, is a direct relative of the renowned adventurer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic from 1901 to 1917.

Sir Ernest famously travelled the unexplored world in 'Endurance', before it sadly sunk in the Antarctic ocean in 1915.

In the 107 years since, no one has been able to name their maritime vehicle Endurance - until now.

Miss Shackleton, from Oxford, originally wanted to name her narrow boat 'Endurance II' as a comic ode to her heritage.

The singer not only lives on her boat but also runs a small cafe from it called the "Endurance Boat Cafe".

Anna, of Sutton Courtenay near Abingdon, refurbished her own narrow boat which she moors near the village.

But she was shocked to find she was allowed to use the original name itself due to her family connection.

She said: "I thought I would call it 'Endurance II' as a joke.

"But when I called the registration office they said it was already taken by a police vehicle.

"They offered me 'Endurance 14' but that wasn't as funny. I said I was a Shackleton and the phone line went silent.

"After an age, they said I could have 'Endurance' without any numbers - so it was meant to be."

Miss Shackleton refurbished her own narrow boat after purchasing it six years ago from her neighbour.

She made the bold change to explore new horizons after a "rough patch" in her life.

Miss Shackleton had to get a new engine, bathroom and bedroom for her quirky abode, as well as reseal the windows and repaint the boat with icebergs.

She said: "I naively took on the project, it wasn't something I had planned my whole life for.

"I love being outside and being with nature and it's great for me.

"I knew there was some work but not as much that needed to be done. If I knew I may not have taken it on so it's good I was naive.

"But our family motto is, 'By endurance we conquer'. So I thought if Sir Ernest can take his crews on expeditions I can do up this boat."

Miss Shackleton, who is related to Sir Ernest on her dad's side, has grown up hearing stories of her famous uncle - whose boat was finally discovered in the Weddell Sea in March this year.

She said: "It's a story passed down. There's lots of photos and memories which have always been there in my life.

"I think it's amazing the boat has been found."

Between 1914 and 1917, Shackleton led the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition when disaster struck and his ship, Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and sunk.

The crews escaped by camping on the sea ice. Since the expedition, no boat-user has been allowed to name their vehicle Endurance.

Miss Shackleton is related to the explorer through her dads side, Jason Shackleton, who is married to Dr. Sheena Pinchin.