A group of ‘trespassers’ spotted on a pier in the Isle of Man turned out to be a group of sailors who hadn’t realised the attraction was closed.

Isle of Man Police were called to Ramsey on Thursday amid reports of four individuals at the Queen’s Pier site.

However, it later transpired that the group had sailed to the island and docked at the pier, mistakenly believing it to be open for mooring.

Volunteers from the Queen’s Pier Restoration Trust is currently working to restore and reopen sections of the Victorian landmark.

While parts of the structure are open to visitors on select days and at certain times, the compound near the pier as well as the attraction itself are closed when volunteers are not on site for safety reasons.

In the immediate aftermath of the apparent ‘trespass’ alert, the Queen’s Pier Restoration Trust issued a statement online calling on residents and visitors to ‘respect its property’, noting that a notice on fencing currently at the site warns that trespassers will be prosecuted.

However, in a statement issued online on Friday, Queen’s Pier Restoration Trust project manager Graham Curphey said that ‘no malice’ had been intended by the mistaken sailors.

‘I now have a better understanding of the incident [on Thursday].,’ he said.

‘After talking with the police constable who attended the pier and spoke with the four individuals, it appears that they had sailed to the island and moored to the pier not realising that it wasn’t in operation as a mooring point, they climbed up and walked to the land end of the pier and couldn’t find a way out of the compound.

‘The police officer told them that the pier was closed and that they need to take their boat round to and I to the harbour, which they then did,

‘We are happy to inform you all that no malice was intended and there was no cause for any further investigation into the matter.’

Back in July 2017, The Queen’s Pier Restoration Trust signed a five-year lease with the Isle of Man government to repair and reopen the first three bays of the long-closed Victorian landmark in Ramsey.

Work to complete the first three bays was completed in spring 2021.

Attention has now been turned to phase two of the project, which comprises the next five bays.

The latest update from the trust online shows volunteers bolting joists to the steel girders on bay seven of the pier.

There are 60 bays in total.

Fund-raising efforts, through events and activities including coffee mornings, bingo and quiz nights, continue apace to help pay for the restoration work.

The site is currently open every Sunday between 2pm and 5pm for anyone wanting to see the trust’s progress.

Volunteers from the team are also on site every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.