IF you want to catch more than a glimpse of a ghost ship, while celebrating British and American history, then Droitwich is the place to be this Advent.

The ghost ship, in fact, is a quarter sized model of the Mayflower, and it's all lit up for Christmas at a site overlooking the Netherwich Basin Marina, in Vines Park.

This is to mark the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower, which carried the Pilgrim Fathers to America, and the ghost ship is in Droitwich because there is a strong, historical connection.

Pilgrim Father Edward Winslow was born in Droitwich, baptised in St Peters Church, and he sailed with the Mayflower in1620.

Social distancing would hardly have been possible on board the original 100ft long sailing ship, because 103 people were on board.

But, from among them, Edward Winslow became one of the leaders of the Pilgrim Fathers, including in the role of an ambassador to the Native Americans.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the remarkable voyage, Droitwich historian Alan Davey came up with the idea to build the ghost ship, now on display.

Mr Davey said: “The public are not allowed to enter the land around the ghost ship, but you can see it from the river or the towpath.”

It is planned that the lights will remain on until December 26, the date that the Pilgrim Fathers set foot on their chosen settlement; at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The lighting up ceremony was last Saturday, November 21, and lockdown restrictions had to be followed.

Project spokesman, Alan Davey said: "The lighting up ceremony went well despite Covid19 restrictions. Only people who had taken part in the ship construction where present, including myself, David Morrison, Malcolm Wakeman, Derek Tolley, Allan Roberts, Peter Daniels and Jim Gillespie, members of PROBUS 97 and Droitwich Waterways.

"The word ‘ghost’ is used as the materials used for the model, stainless steel and plastic. Of course, they are completely different from that which the original ship was built, which would now be dust."

But the memory lives on.