A professional rope team is carrying out essential work on two of the island’s most important heritage sites.

Castle Rushen and Peel Castle are undergoing masonry conservation with a team of workers using abseiling equipment.

Charlotte Quayle reports:

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Due to the highly sensitive work needed on the ancient monuments, in many areas, the use of scaffolding or hydraulic platforms is not practical, even though the work of the team may sound minor, such as the removal of sapling trees and weeds.

Manx National Heritage say it is a typical example of the small maintenance jobs that can make a big difference.

Those small woody roots could eventually penetrate into the core of the masonry and cause the stonework to fracture and eventually become washed out by rainwater.