Watch: Huge German WWII Mine Blown Up By Navy

Royal Navy experts have destroyed a Second World War German mine - sending a plume of water nearly 1,000ft into the air.

The 1,500lb (680kg) air-dropped mine was found on the seabed in The Solent, around a mile off Southsea, near Portsmouth, on Thursday.

A bomb disposal team towed it to open waters off Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight, and carried out a controlled, underwater explosion.

Witnesses described hearing a dull groan from the depths and then saw a huge plume of seawater surging more than 900ft into the air.

Petty Officer Richard Ellis, who was in charge of the six-strong 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.

"The mine was in quite good condition, and they were engineered to a very high standard which is probably why it has stayed safe all these years."

The mine was found by a crane barge removing debris from the seabed in preparation for the arrival of the Navy's new aircraft carriers.