It's difficult to see, Alan. Can you take another photo, preferably not backlit?
If it is just an extending pole, then you have bought an extending pole. Possibly with a bit of plastic on the top to help you keep your washing line up.
It's one of them fete stall games where you have to wind the ring round the wire without setting off the buzzer for really tall people. Or it's for getting for tennis balls out of ponds. Or it's....no... Fitzroy has it I think. Sure I've seen them sold as golf ball retrievers in those magazines that used to drop through the door and sold stuff like one giant furry furry slipper that you could put both feet in if you sat down on your arse all day and got cold feet a lot.
Edit. Took me so long to type this on the phone you already solved but I'm not going to all that effort and repetitive strain injury risk for nothing so I'm posting it anyway. :roll: