A woman has spoken about her family's obsession with a 'Viking boat' spotted by her grandad beneath a pub.
This week archaeologists have been digging at the Railway Pub in Meols, which they believe stands above a historic Viking ship from the time the town was a bustling seaport and hub with a large Scandinavian community. The ship was spotted by Jack McRae in 1938, as the foundations for the pub were being dug.
The pub was still built after workers were told to stick to the tight schedule to complete it and Jack's report was never investigated. However, soon Jack was teaching his son John all about the boat, and together they "dug and dug" into the potential origins and the true nature of the boat.
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Their drawings of the boat were submitted to museums in Liverpool, however the family's interest in what they believe is a Viking boat did not end there. Karen McRae, Jack's granddaughter, has been down at the dig at the Railway "nearly everyday" since the dig began last Saturday, with her son Andrew in tow.
Karen, 57, whose family is from Rock Ferry, told the ECHO: "Grandad found the boat in 1938. Then he passed all the information on to my dad and between them they did drawings of the boat and dug and dug into it.
"Since I could walk dad was telling me about the boat. And then when I had children he started telling them all about it.
"Dad is bedridden and he's always said to me that he wouldn't be here by the time they finally started to dig beneath the pub. I've been going back and telling him everything that has been going on.
"It's been a fascinating thing throughout the family for years.
"All the family have been down to the investigation at the pub this week. It's been absolutely wonderful."
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