THE storm-ravaged flag from Lyme Regis harbour has been put up for auction to raise funds for charity.

Deputy harbourmaster Mike Higgs decided to put the ragged Union Flag up for sale on Ebay to raise money for the Ship-wrecked Mariners Society, a charity chosen by one of the fishermen based at Lyme Regis Harbour.

Lyme Regis Harbour has traditionally had a flag flying over the Cobb and the harbourmaster’s office, and the one that is being sold on Ebay was first installed two years ago.

The flag survived all of the winter storms until the last one on Valentine’s Day, when gusts of 85mph resulted in the flagpole being snapped.

Mr Higgs said: “We had gusts of 85mph which snapped the flagpole and brought it crashing down on to the harbour causeway.

“When we cleared the harbour I picked up the flag and thought rather than chucking it away let’s put it on Ebay and raise some money.

“I am quite surprised by the reaction there as well, we’ve had over £50 bid and it is still on sale until Sunday so it will probably go up a bit more.”

The flag has so far had more than 20 bids on it, with the total now reaching £60 after it was first put up this week.

Mr Higgs added: “The flag has been battered and it has gone through a lot of different weather the past couple of years, the same as the rest of the country, and it sums it all up.

“It has done very well to stay there through all that weather and we couldn’t just chuck it away, it is very symbolic to Lyme Regis as there has always been a Union Flag flying there.

“I really do think that the winter of 2013/2014 will be talked about in the same breath as the summer of 1976 and the bad snow in 1963/1964 in the future, and this is a great souvenir to have from it, and the money goes to charity.”

Mr Higgs did confirm they buy a replacement flag and pole but would wait a few weeks until the rest of the clean-up operation was complete.

To view the flag or to bid on it, visit ebay.co.uk and search for “Lyme Regis Harbourmaster’s Ragged Flag