The large sign greeting ferry passengers as they step on to the Isle of Bute has been in place for around nine years but it has only recently come to light it was missing a crucial diacritic mark.

Instead of “Welcome to the beauty of the Isle of Bute”, the sign proclaims “Welcome to the beauty of Penis Island”.

A missing accent on just one letter changed Bhòid, meaning Bute, to Bhoid — pronounced bod — the Gaelic word for the male member.

A photograph of the sign was posted online, sparking both hilarity and outrage from Gaelic speakers.

Coinneach Combe, from Cochrane Castle, who took the photograph, said: “I just noticed it when I went across for the Highland Games.

“I’m a native Gaelic speaker and I’ve seen wrong spellings before but I was gobsmacked.

“I didn’t actually notice it until I was flicking through my photographs afterwards.” The 34-year-old added: “I found it very entertaining but I think it’s important that if councils are going to use Gaelic signage, get it right.” In 2009, a blunder at Renfrewshire”s newest tourist attraction left bemused visitors wondering which country they were in.

Red-faced bosses at the Renfrewshire Wheel, which boasts spectacular views stretching for miles, blasted out a commentary about the history of Great Yarmouth in England.