EXPERTS fear Southampton's ill-fated liner Titanic could soon disappear forever as remains of the ship are disintegrating like "melted chocolate.''

In an exclusive, first-hand account of how the ship looks in its watery grave deep on the Atlantic sea sent to the Daily Echo from mid-Atlantic, the ship is said to be crumbling away fast, deep down beneath the waves .

This follows a poignant ceremony during which the city's luxury liner Queen Elizabeth 2 paid her respects to Titanic with the traditional salute of three blasts from her mighty siren.

As QE2 passed over the spot where Titanic foundered on her maiden voyage from Southampton 88 years ago, with an enormous loss of life, Cunard's 70,327- ton flagship met up with the research vessel Akademik Keldysh stationed over the wreck.

Manned submersibles have been diving into the dark depths of the Atlantic to examine Titanic and recover items from the ocean floor around the former White Star ship which set sail in April 1912.

Historical adviser on board the research ship Dennis Cochrane says : "It would appear to almost be 'made of cardboard', the rusticles and rivers of rust, take the form of melted chocolate, and becoming more evident each year.

"Her tattered bow will fall inward upon itself within the next few years - that vision of stateliness sitting upright on the bottom will shatter, dissolve into a mound of rust, its tears flooding the seabed.''

Master of QE2 Captain Ron Warwick, a respected maritime historian, spoke to the expedition leader by radio as the two vessels passed.

" He informed me that numerous items have been recovered from the wreck, including the engine telegraph from the bridge, silverware, china, pieces of furniture, bottles of perfume and a bottle of olive oil sealed intact as it was in 1912,'' said Captain Warwick.

"A very exciting find has been a leather suitcase containing books and postcards with some of the text still visible and the original owners of some of the items have already been identified by Titanic historians on board Akademik Keldysh.''

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