This is honestly a true story and I'm not making it up.

We went to a folk club, just after the "Herald of Free Enterprise" ferry disaster, which will give you an idea how long ago it was.

We were a bit late and when we came in there was a bloke at the front dressed in yellow oilskins, sou'wester and wellies. He was obviously determined to be the first to write a song on the subject, and had just finished his intro and then began the song:-

"Oh, the Herald of Free Enterprise, she sail-ed on the sea..."

It went on for a bit, but was OK.

In the half-time break, he collared us in the corridor and asked "did you like my song?". We made encouraging noises and he then went on to explain how there was an episode in the disaster, when a young girl was assumed to be drowned, but was later found to have been washed up safe and alive some way from the ship.

He explained to us that this had "ruined his song" and he'd had to re-write some of the verses.

He didn't actually go as far as to say "they should have thrown her back in!"