COUNTY NEWS: '˜Moby Dig' is free

Stranded off the coast of Worthing for more than two months, Rampion digger '˜Moby Dig' has been finally freed.
The Cormorant crane barge was brought in from the Netherlands. Pictures: Eddie MitchellThe Cormorant crane barge was brought in from the Netherlands. Pictures: Eddie Mitchell
The Cormorant crane barge was brought in from the Netherlands. Pictures: Eddie Mitchell

A barge featuring a 300-tonne crane was shipped in from the Netherlands this week and today lifted the digger out of the sea.

The Cormorant vessel arrived in Worthing this morning after being docked at Portsmouth, and this afternoon used its crane to free the stricken digger.

The moment will certainly be bittersweet for some residents, who affectionately named it ‘Moby Dig’ in our online poll.

The digger will now be taken back to Southampton aboard the Cormorant.