ONE of two underwater rocks to be exploded in St Aubin’s Bay was finally blown up by military divers last night – after rough seas forced them to postpone the work for five hours.

The UK Defence Diving School, which had been invited to the Island by the Economic Development Committee, set charges and blasted the rock between 5 pm and 7 pm last night.

Assistant Harbourmaster Paul Mimmack said that the operation had been a complete success.

They had been due to blast the rock in the morning, but a high swell and problem with a missing marker buoy meant that they had to wait until low tide to begin.

But Capt Mimmack said that when the explosion was set off there was little to see from above water.

‘Most of the explosive was absorbed by the rock, so we only saw a small plume of water rise to the surface as they were set off.

‘However, when the divers went back down, they said that around three-quarters of the rock had gone.

They will knock the rest off with hammers,’ he said.