THE owner of a kite surfing school in Southend has backed the council’s plans to “evict” the popular “Rasta Boat” claiming it poses a safety risk to his students.

Tony Madden, owner of the bright boat moored off Shoebury’s East Beach, is locked in a row with Southend Council over the vessel’s future after he was hit with an eviction notice.

The boat, officially named Mumma Dread, must be moved from its current location today and Tony has been pleading with the council and residents for help to secure its future.

However Simon Mudd, 61, has now spoken out in support of the council and claimed the boat poses a risk to his students learning to kite surf in Shoebury.

Southend Council revealed this week it is aware of “repeated complaints from residents regarding antisocial behaviour and other concerns”.

Simon said: “We have tried to put up with the boat, we had a lovely area to enjoy our water-sports and we are restricted. Initially we had an issue as Tony has 30 metres of line stretching out from his boat which is a safety concern.

“We have been polite, but he has no intention of moving it and with all these people saying, ‘leave him alone’, the boat is illegally moored, how about letting us use our water-sports area that was designated for us 20 years ago?”

Tony has hit back at Simon’s suggestions that his boat has posed issues, claiming he has had just two kite-surfers have issues with his boat in two years and most other members are friendly towards him.

However, Simon claims he has been requesting the council take action for the last two years.

He added: “I asked for it moved, and he does need a couple of months to get it fixed, but two months has turned into two years, he has had no intention of moving.”

On Wednesday, Tony is having the Mumma Dread towed to Benfleet for repairs but hopes to return it in three months.

He said: “I have been there for probably two or three years, out of all the kite-surfers many of them just say hello to me and are friendly.

“In all those years there have been two that have actually got their ropes caught on the boat, it is just another excuse to get rid of me.”