The Tower of Refuge and Ramsey Swing Bridge were lit up in red on Thursday evening for ‘World Encephalitis Day’.

Organised by the charity ‘Encephalitis International’, these landmarks were joined by 238 others worldwide in 29 different countries, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the CN Tower in Toronto and the Liver Building in Liverpool.

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain caused either by an infection or through the immune system attacking the brain in error, and there are roughly 6,000 cases of the disease in the UK each year.

Joel Waterhouse, a supporter of the charity from Farmhill in Douglas, organised the two landmarks to be lit up in red and has raised funds for the charity.

Joel’s grandmother passed away from the disease after she was misdiagnosed by doctors in the UK.

Joel said: ‘It was an illness that none of our family knew much about and did not know the signs to look for. We did not know it was Encephalitis until after the damage was done.

‘The charity do incredible work to support patients and their families with encephalitis and, where possible, to support them through recovery back to living a full and healthy life.

‘Vitally, the charity work to raise awareness of encephalitis, the symptoms to look for and fund important research into the causes, the infection and potential treatments.

‘We have done various fundraising activities, while my father sponsored the latest kit of Castletown Rugby Union Football Club (CRUFC) to help raise awareness among players locally.’