Synopsis

Continuing his tour of the coast from Cornwall to Aberdeen, Richard Hawley unearths some of the UK's most famous shipwrecks. He hears tales of sightings of ghost ships and finds out more about the British institutions which have long existed to keep sailors safe. The programme starts with boatman and former diver David Chamberlain, who used to work near Goodwin Sands who explains why it is the deadliest site for shipwrecks in Britain, responsible for the sinking of around 2000 ships. This lethal sandbank has inspired some of the UK's top writers from Shakespeare to Daniel Defoe. In Cornwall Richard dispels the myths about bands of wreckers, which were popularised in Daphne Du Maurier's book Jamaica Inn. In Liverpool Richard is treated to a private performance of one of his favourite songs of all time, The Wreck of Ellan Vannin sung by ex Spinners frontman Hughie Jones. In Filey in North Yorkshire, the Filey Fisherman's choir sing a version of Lower Lights and Three Score and Ten, which are classic Christian hymns about community, safety and loss of life at sea. We hear from author and maritime expert Angus Konstam about the Titanic and the Flying Dutchman, broadcaster Ian Clayton describes the events surrounding the Hull Trawler Disaster and finally Jarvis Cocker explains why he chose Sailing By as one of his Desert Island Discs. Jarvis also explains why the Shipping Forecast is important to him as an artist and Carol Ann Duffy recites one of her greatest poems, Prayer.