In the 1950s this all changed. New technology brought the spectacle of the amused mariner to seaside arcades; for a penny or two, you would be treated to a several moments of mirth-filled howling from a mechanical seafarer.
This might all seem rather quaint, but I'm old enough to recall seeing these coin-operated marvels, and their rasping, foam-flecked, guffaws, remain etched into my memory. Today, for one day only, Digitiser2000 pays tribute to this terrifying staple of summer holidays...