A long-lost 100-year-old German torpedo ship has been found in a cave by a magnet fisherman - who now claims legal loopholes means he OWNS it.

Explorer Darren Murray was searching two other known wrecks when he discovered the remains of the long lost T189.

The vessel sank in a terrible storm off Roundham Head, Paignton in 1920 - never to be seen again until now.

The ship had been captured was being towed by a British ship when the line snapped and she was driven onto rocks by the storm.

Darren was out magnet fishing around known wrecks a few days ago - the HMS Savage and HMS Venerable.

He then stumbled across the torpedo ship in caves known as Savage Holes - which are only accessible from the sea beneath the cliffs.

Darren, from Brixham, Devon, is now claiming the incredible find as his own – arguing he has an “official salvage claim” to the vessel.

He said: “Maritime law states any wreck discovered without an exact location can be claimed as salvage.

“The original owner has one year to dispute my claim of ownership.”

This German torpedo destroyer survived WWI and was under tow by the British together with the S-24, another German destroyer, by the London tug WARRIOR from Cherbourg to Teignmouth for scrapping.

A strong wind from the east turned into a gale and at 11pm the tow line to the T-189 snapped.

She drove onto the rocks near Roundham Head and broke her back.

The three-man running crew aboard were saved by Paignton Life Saving Association's 'rocket brigade' using a line fired out to reach the ship.

Posting on Facebook Darren said: “My first official shipwreck discovery of part of the T189 German torpedo destroyer wedged deep underground in a sea cave.

“The exact location was uncharted until now as it was known to sink off Corbin head in 1920 and bits of it appear when the sands shift.

“My discovery of a large part of the bow section has cemented the reports of its demise off Torbay and means I have an official salvage claim to the vessel as I found it and logged its position previously unknown for over 100 years.

“Under maritime law the German government has one year to reclaim the lost ship but with the added complications of it being war booty and already captured by the British this will not happen.

“It’s mine.”

This video was filmed on the 10th July 2021.