A 22ft-long replica of HMS Ajax was delivered this week and is set to join the famous fleet that battles for glory in Peasholm Park's Naval Warfare.

The Whitby-built boat is now being fitted with its electrical fixtures, including a motor and special-effect guns, before it takes to the water in about two weeks time.

Richard Thompson, who has managed the battles on the lake for 15 years, said: "I think the ship looks great, it is just the part. Our original HMS Ajax was about 40 years old and desperately needed replacing. She had lasted a long time and didn't owe us anything, but her time had come.

"We have checked this one over, and made sure that it floats and does not leak. Now all we need to do it fit the electrics and it will be ready."

For more than 80 years the 30-minute Battle of Peasholm has been played out – running three times a week during the summer season.

The famous battle involves replicas of ships including HMNZS Achilles, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Exeter, HMS Jervis Bay and HMS Ajax.

During the Second World War HMS Ajax was a Leander class cruiser, and fought in the Battle of the River Plate. Its top speed was 31.24 knots and it was fitted with eight 6in and eight 4in AA guns. It had been build in Barrow in 1934 and was eventually scrapped in Newport in November 1949.

Peasholm's new scaled replica includes many of the ship's original features – including a small aeroplane named the Supermarine Walrus which used to be catapulted from the original ship.

William Uppington, director of Coates Marine Ltd which built the boat, said: "We had to apply for the tender to do the job. This is the third boat we have built for the council as part of the fleet. We build them out of teak frames with marine plywood skin.

"It is quite fun to build the boats. They are very time consuming but they look fantastic when they are finished. We have won the contract to build the next two so were are looking forward to doing them."

The boats are operated by electric motors but are steered by council workers who sit inside them. They use foot pedals to steer the boat as they need to keep their hands free to fire the guns.

This year's battles continue until August 30. In June the shows are only staged on Saturdays before changing to three times weekly, Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, in July and August.