The Shipping Forecast, issued by the Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, is 150 years old today.

The lyrical weather report for the seas around the British Isles has inspired the likes of Blur, Radiohead, The Prodigy and Carol Ann Duffy.

To many it’s a reassuring, poetic reminder of our island nation. To those whose work depends on the high seas, it can be a lifeline. In the words of one yachtsman: "It's more than just a shipping forecast - It's iconic and beautiful".

Animation by Cognitive. Read by Radio 4 announcer Chris Aldridge.