A competitive sailor is to be the new helmsman of the West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association.

Tom Bowsher is to take over from Peter Spendlove — the longest serving protection-and-indemnity (P&I) club chief executive — from September.

It is a big change, but the traditionally minded West of England Club has been doing well in recent years so there is unlikely to be radical changes as a result.

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