THE anchor from a Finnish shipwreck has been given pride of place in a seaside town.

The anchor comes from the barque Birger, which struck the Saltscar Rock at Redcar on October 18, 1898, and has been placed on the town's Esplanade, opposite the Zetland Lifeboat Museum in Redcar.

It will serve as a memorial to the 13 of the 15-man crew who lost their lives. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has created a plinth surrounded by a steel fence for the anchor as well as an information board. The anchor was raised from the sunken vessel by Cleveland Divers, the local branch of the British Sub Aqua Club and has previously been displayed in the grounds of Kirkleatham Museum in Redcar. Mayor Councillor Vilma Collins said: "I am delighted that the anchor has been given such a prominent place on the seafront and I'm sure it will generate a lot of interest.