Multi-million pound plans for a new ferry link from Burnham-on-Sea to Cardiff Bay have moved a step closer.

Entrepreneur Chris Marrow is creating a £5million venture, which would operate ferry services around the Bristol Channel.

He met with members of Sedgemoor Tourism Association last year with the aim of starting operating from Burnham jetty in 2011.

The scheme would see foot passengers transported in two 40-metre Fast Cat ferries. It is thought each ferry would hold up to 350 people and have a top speed of around 34 knots.

They could then link up with bus services to parts of Cardiff or use the Cardiff Bay water buses, which take passengers into the centre.

Mr Marrow has now met with senior officials in the town to continue talks on the project, which has been more than three years in the making.

They included council leader Duncan McGinty, chief executive Kerry Rickards, corporate director of regeneration Doug Bamsey, district councillor Neville Jones and town clerk Eileen Shaw.

Mr Marrow said: "It was a very positive meeting and Burnham is still a definite possibility for one of the ferry's routes.

"We've done lots of market research in recent weeks and found 60 per cent of Burnham people would be interested in using the ferry service, much the same as Minehead.

"As we'd like to find a long-term solution for Burnham's jetty, I also visited it.

"The visit confirmed that from our point of view the jetty could be used by our ferries after some work."

Mr Marrow believes the scheme is an attractive proposition because there is no other stretch of water in the world like the Bristol Channel where there are such dense populations on both sides of the estuary that don't have an active ferry service.

Councillor Neville Jones believes the service is "great news" for Burnham.

He said: "The service would ferry people across the channel, not cars as this would require a different kind of vessel.

"Cardiff appeared to be most welcoming and has the full support of the city council, as does Swansea, where a second route is planned from Ilfracombe and Minehead.

"Once passengers arrive there would be directional signs and bus services as they can also see real business from the service.

"A lot of Welsh people come to Burnham for holidays and people here are pleased about the idea.

"You pay to go over the bridge and travel a long way; this would be a quick service, which is likely to cost £18-£20 return."