This one object links the West Midlands to the time England took home the World Cup

This summer, scores of English football fans were left feeling disappointed as England failed to progress into the World Cup final.

The defeat to Argentina was a frustrating reminder that it’s been 60 years since the one and only time the Three Lions won the World Cup.

In a bid to remember the glory days, one Birmingham-based company discovered its own special link to the last time England took home the trophy.

Birmingham manufacturer ACME Whistles was surprised to find out how the the whistle used by referee Gottfried Dienst to end England's famous World Cup victory was manufactured at the company’s base in the Jewellery Quarter.

The whistle’s history remained dormant for quite a while - but it emphasised how Birmingham’s industrious spirit was present at the 1966 World Cup final.

Recently, the Birmingham-based manufacturer ACME Whistles received an email to say that one of its whistles was used in the final.

Managing director Simon Topman said: “We received an email out of the blue from a gentleman in Switzerland who believed his grandfather’s whistle had been used in the 30 July 1966 final.

“He sent us a photograph and asked if we could identify it. We quickly realised it was one of ours, an ACME Thunderer.

“We then checked our historic catalogues and production records and confirmed it matched a model supplied during that era.”

Following the final, referee Gottfried Dienst gifted the whistle to a close friend, where it remained in the family's possession for decades before being rediscovered in a cellar by his grandson.

The whistle is an ACME Thunderer Model No. 059, a design widely used by football referees between the 1940s and 1970s because of its powerful, distinctive sound. While that specific model was discontinued in the late 1970s, the Thunderer range remains in production and continues to be used by referees around the world.

Mr Topman added: “It’s amazing to think that a small Birmingham-made whistle played a role in one of the most watched events in England’s history.

“It was part of a moment witnessed by millions, bringing the match to a close and sealing one of the most famous nights in English football, a legacy still incredibly important to England fans.”