What a pity to see that sight, the Cutty Sark in flames in her drydock. Even worse, what a thing to see first thing in the morning when you’re still half asleep and nearly whacked your head into the kitchen lintel as you hear the words ‘flames’ and ‘cutty sark’ in the same sentence…

And then tonight seeing the images on the news, the rotted blackened carcass resting on the iron frame - the death of the Cutty Sark.

Fear not, I have no doubt she will rise like a phoenix.