Google Maps gave a schoolboy and his parents a surprise after he stumbled upon an unlikely landmark.
When browsing the site for a satellite view of a UK island, 12-year-old Rory Chapman was not expecting to discover a “hole to the centre of the earth”.
The youngster was looking online for a walking route with his family at Hilbre Island in West Kirby, Merseyside, when he made the bizarre discovery.
While hovering over the coastline he noticed a tourist icon (also known as the camera icon) on Middle Eye with the “intriguing” title, The Liverpool Echo reports.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Rory, from the town of Wallasey, said: “I have looked at Hilbre Island on the map with my mum when we did geography in lockdown so I knew where it was.
“I have never noticed it before and when I saw it I thought ‘wait, what? Did they dig a huge hole on one of the islands? Have they dug out one of the Hilbre Islands?'”
Baffled, he asked his dad, Sean, 36, who was equally puzzled by the appearance of the label.
People on Facebook also had no clue as to what the marking could be, and it has since been removed.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
One said: “Oooh how intriguing!”
Another said: “Whatever was it’s been removed.”
A third added: “Maybe there’s a hole to the centre of the earth there. Be careful.”
The Hilbre Islands are a unique set of islands that are a local nature reserve within an estuary that is a site of special scientific interest.
Many walk out and explore the uninhabited land and hope to spot a seal or two who frequent the waters off the coast of Wirral.
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