The Post Office has issued a set of four stamps celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first permanent lighthouses on the Isle of Man at the Point of Ayre and on the Calf of Man.

Stamps are a useful moneyspinner for the Post Office, which made a loss of more than £1m last year.

During the 18th century, the Isle of Man’s treacherous coastline presented a serious hazard to ships trading between England, Ireland and Scotland and subsequently it became the scene for countless shipwrecks.

After an Act of Parliament in 1815 the construction of three lights on the island began.

One was at its northern tip, the Point of Ayre, and two on the Calf of Man, off the southern coast.

The lighthouses were constructed and operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board under the supervision of renowned engineer, Robert Stevenson.

Stevenson was responsible for the construction of 16 lighthouses in the 19th century and was inducted in to the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame in 2016.

The stamps feature images taken by Duke Aerial Productions, a Manx company that uses drones equipped with cameras to take shots from the air.

Isle of Man Stamps and Coins general manager Maxine Cannon said: ’We are pleased to celebrate this significant anniversary by offering a bird’s eye view of these most familiar island landmarks in a set of four panoramic stamps.

’Working as one not only with local businesses but also with The Northern Lighthouse Board and the National Library of Scotland, has meant we are able to share this momentous occasion with the general public.’

The 52p stamp shows the Point of Ayre lighthouse, dwelling and service buildings, while the £1.53 features the ’Winkie’ automatic light, foghorn and Point of Ayre lighthouse.

On the £2.60 stamp, aligned to the Chicken Rock, are the upper and lower Calf of Man lights either side of a modern light in use 1968 - 2007 and the £3.10 stamp shows the upper Calf of Man light with a view to the west coast of the Isle of Man.