New Brighton's much loved pirate ship The Black Pearl is no more.
The sad news was confirmed on its official Facebook page during the early hours of this morning in which The Black Pearl was described as a "grand" and "much loved" ship.
Footage also shared onto its Facebook page shows waves battering the ship during last night's strong winds.
The post said: "We've had to say goodbye to our Pearl tonight she was a grand and much loved ship. An emergency Pirate meeting will have to be called at Pirate HQ to decide where to go from here."
Thousands of people have been quick to comment on the post, with some describing the news as "heartbreaking".
The Black Pearl first launched back in 2013 and has remained a much loved New Brighton treasure. Artist Frank Lund, who along with Major Mace first built the ship.
It's not clear at this stage whether The Black Pearl will be saved by the local community.
On Facebook, on user said: "After all the storms she's faced... She did well, you guys are AMAZING! I'm sure it won't be too long until you find a way to rebuild another beautiful vessel."
Another said: "Its absolutely heartbreaking to read this. My son (8) absolutely loved this and has always been insistent on a trip to play whenever we visit my parents in Chester (we live the other side of the Pennines!!) - he will be devastated! She's been a fantastic attraction to all. Fingers crossed she can be rebuilt. I'm sure a funding page would be successful, we'd definitely donate!!!!
And, a third added: "Absolutely heartbroken to wake up and see this. 7 years of fun and laughter from millions of children and adults alike aboard the black pearl. She really was incredible. She stood strong against storm and fire, but had to move on to a new adventure. I'm glad we got to visit one last time at the weekend and say goodbye without knowing.
"Thank you to everyone who made her what she was, from the biggest logs to the smallest nails, you provided some wonderful memories for alot of people."
