UNDERWATER rocks will be blown up in St Aubin’s Bay next week as part of a training exercise by the UK military.

Two towers of rock near Ruaudière Rock and Buoy will be packed with explosives and blasted, causing a sea motion that will be felt under water as far away as the south coast of England.

Assistant Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean said that his department was approached by the Defence Diving School, who wanted carry out a training exercise in Jersey and decided that the two underwater pinnacles were perfect.

‘There is some advantage in moving these rocks and it won’t cost us anything, so it was a win-win situation,’ said the Deputy, adding that blasting the rocks would encourage bigger cruise ships to stop in Jersey.

During the lowest tide of the year the rocks lie about four metres from sea level 580 metres east-north-east and 800 metres south-east-south from St Aubin’s Bay.

They jut out from an otherwise flat sandbank and throughout history have made crossing the bay hazardous in rough seas.