The Manx flag was spotted flying high on this driftwood pirate ship in Hoylake, the Wirral, by Paul Hale.

Paul, who lives locally, often walks there. He hadn’t spotted the ship, called Grace Darling, before, although she’s been there since 2013 and is the sister ship to the Black Pearl, which is at nearby New Brighton.

Both were created by local artists Frank Lund and Major C Mace and are enjoyed by hundreds of children, who clamber over their skeletal decks.

Paul said he’s unsure how long the Manx flag has been flying, but it struck a pleasant chord as he has strong Manx connections. His mother Yvonne Kneen lives in the island, he ’loves’ it here and visits as often as possible.

’I looked at it and realised it was the Isle of Man flag. It’s beautiful there (Hoylake).

’ It looks out to Liverpool or North Wales and with the Manx flag what more could you ask for?

’The ship has three flags (including the skull and cross bones and Northumbrian flag as a tribute to Grace Darling’s home), but the Manx flag is the most important.’