A row erupted today over the final resting place of the crumpled remains of Donald Campbell's speedboat Bluebird.

A museum owner from East Sussex has claimed he is the legal owner of the boat, prototype K7, which was recovered from Coniston Water last week.

Paul Foulkes-Halbard, 63, owner of Filching Manor, near Eastbourne, says he plans to travel to the Lake District and collect Bluebird.

But residents of Coniston, backed by Campbell's widow Tonia, say the town is the "emotional and moral" home of Bluebird and should be kept there in a purpose-built museum forever.

They have challenged Mr Foulkes-Halbard to prove he is the rightful owner.

Donald Campbell died 34 years ago as he sped across the lake in the Bluebird at 297mph.

Vicky Slowe, curator of the Ruskin Museum at Coniston, hopes whoever owns the boat will loan or gift it to the museum.

She said: "We have no legal claim to the boat and I cannot say who has rightful ownership. But what I can say is that the people of Coniston feel very strongly that the national home, the emotional home and the moral home for Bluebird should be Coniston."

Donald Campbell's widow, Tonia Bern-Campbell, 64, and his daughter Gina, are thought to want Bluebird to eventually be returned to Coniston.

Mr Foulkes-Halbard has dedicated his manor to Donald and Malcolm Campbell.

Among the collection in his Campbell Memorial Hall of Speed is K3, the boat with which Sir Malcolm broke the water speed record in 1934.

But he says he will not show anyone the documents which prove he is the legal owner of Bluebird unless the matter comes to court.

Mr Foulkes-Halbard, a friend of Donald Campbell's late race engineer Leo Villa, claims he came to own the boat in 1991 through the "course of business". He says he gave diver Bill Smith permission to raise Bluebird.

He said: "The fact that I own Bluebird cannot be disputed. People say why don't I prove it, but I don't have to prove it to anyone. There is no row over it. It's simple."