Land’s End lighthouse fog alarm sounding every 13 seconds

Trinity House, which manages the automated Longships Lighthouse, said the issue was probably a fault with its visibility sensor. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

The distant sound of a lighthouse can be a part of coastal life that really adds to the maritime ambience.

For those living near Land’s End, however, any sense of whimsy has worn off. A fog alarm at Longships Lighthouse, just off the Cornish headland, has been going off every 13 seconds for the past week.