A Stevenage-based pub manager and lead singer in a local band has watched as his latest lockdown creation takes social media by storm.

Steve Fraser, manager at The Mulberry Tree in High Street, has been using his time on furlough to get creative and decided to have a crack at the popular viral sea shanty trend.

Landlord sings sea shanty about beloved pub Stevenage pub

And more than 24,000 people, from as far away as California and Amsterdam, have tuned in to Steve's ode to his beloved pub.

"I have been watching the sea shanty craze, started by Scottish artist Nathan Evans, and thought I could write one about the pub life and COVID-19," Steve explains.

“With pubs closed, us pub managers are not used to sitting at home doing nothing. We like to interact socially, we desperately miss our customers and the atmosphere of a busy pub. There’s a longing to get back to it – and that’s been the inspiration.

“And I thought it would be a bit of fun!”

Steve is the lead singer in local band The Revivals, based in Hertfordshire, which plays Britpop, Mod and 60s covers.

Greene King is now calling on its competitors to take part in a pub shanty challenge as a bit of fun for pub teams who are furloughed while we're in lockdown.

Watch Steve's 'Fun Folk' sea shanty in full on The Mulberry Tree's Facebook page.