ROYAL Navy divers have carried out a controlled explosion to remove the remains of an old pier.

Action was taken to destroy two pillars that stood eight metres from the sea bed of the Solent off Stokes Bay, in Gosport.

The underwater concrete and wood remains have caused problems with sailors and fishermen scraping the hulls of their vessels or getting fishing nets caught on the columns.

As a result a team was called in from the Royal Navy's Southern Diving Unit Two (SDU2), based in Port Solent, to remove them.

They put up a 350-metre cordon around the two pillars to carry out the work, which was seen as useful training.

Three diving units cover the whole of the UK responding to calls of unexploded bombs washed up or discovered along the coastline, but also to bomb disposals inland.

Leading Diver Luke Halbauer, from SDU2, said: "When we went down to inspect the pillars we found an assortment of nets tangled around them where fishing trawlers had obviously not known they were there.

“Our role was to remove the pillars, using explosives, and clear this bit of waterway of hazards.”

Chief Diver, Simon Crew, added: “By agreeing to carry out this controlled explosion our divers were being offered the opportunity to work in the arduous conditions of the Solent where they needed to consider the tides, depth, poor visibility, and other mariners in the area.

“It was a successful training opportunity that felled the two pillars and has made the area a bit safer for others.”