World's biggest ship off Blackpool coast seen up close from oil rigs in the Irish Sea

Pioneering Spirit – the largest twin-hulled vessel ever built and the widest in the world – is currently around 15 miles off shore and is likely to be visible from the Fylde Coast after nightfall.

The massive ship, which reportedly cost around £2 billion to build, will be moored off shore for the rest of the week while crews deconstruct gas drilling platforms in the Irish Sea.

Last week, the giant returned to finish the job and remove the jackets – the steel frames that support the decks and topsides.

Gazette reader Jordan Burnett was lucky to get some up close shots of the ship from gas rigs in the Irish Sea, around 16 miles off the Fylde Coast.

You can read more about the Pioneering Spirit and see more pictures of the ship from the Promenade in Blackpool here.