I saw this film when I was a child but can't really remember much about it apart from thee was some sort of flying ship in it and it was made abit like the wallace and gromit movies with playdough characters. Can anyone help.

Possibly Wil Vinton's
Claymation feature

The Adventures of Mark Twain

I think the claymation film you are talking about is called the ship of fools. I'm also trying to hunt this down but have had no luck so far. Can you remember any other details about the film?

Ah I think I may have found it, if it's the same one Im talking about its called "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship" Here's a link to it on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMTKFqsAoUc