
Royal Navy bomb disposal experts have carried out a controlled underwater explosion after discovering a Second World War German mine on the seabed in the Solent.

The 1,500lb (680kg) mine was found by a crane barge 1.5km off Southsea on Thursday while removing debris from a site being dredged in preparation for the arrival of the Navy's new aircraft carriers.

The team - also fully qualified clearance divers - towed the air-dropped device overnight to open waters off Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight, where they destroyed it at 10.45am on November 27.

Royal Navy bomb disposal experts have carried out a controlled underwater explosion after discovering a Second World War German mine on the seabed in the Solent

The 1,500lb (680kg) mine was found by a crane barge 1.5km off Southsea on Thursday while removing debris from a site being dredged in preparation for the arrival of the Navy's new aircraft carriers

Onlookers heard a deep, dull groan from the depths and then saw a huge plume of mottled grey-blue seawater surging more than 900ft into the air.

Petty Officer Richard Ellis, who was in charge of the disposal team, said: 'These mines were laid in their thousands during World War Two but are rarely encountered these days - it's only the second one we have dealt with in three years.

'The other one was in the mouth of the Thames.'

He added that the mine was in 'quite good condition' despite being submerged for more than half a century.

'They were engineered to a very high standard which is probably why it has stayed safe all these years,' Mr Ellis said.

The team - also fully qualified clearance divers - towed the air-dropped device overnight to open waters off Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight, where they destroyed it at 10.45am on November 27