VIDEO: Watch the 'superpipe' being laid at Anchorsholme

The two mile long 'superpipe' weighs 20,000 tonnes, and was transported 220 miles on pontoons from Loch Foyle in Northern Ireland.

Water firm United Utilities said it 'believed to be the largest single man-made structure ever to have been transported across the UK'.

Altogether 14 boats were involved in transporting and placing the pipe in a specially dug trench off the coast.

More than 100 people were involved in its transportation, which took four years of planning, the company said.

"The superpipe will help prevent flooding, along with helping to protect Blackpool’s Blue Flag beach by transporting excess surface water two miles out to sea after big storms," a spokesman said.