A Suffolk firm is playing a key role in clearing unexploded mines from a major new windfarm site off the county’s coastline.

Ordtek has begun searching for old ordnance on the seabed 17 miles off Suffolk at the site of the £1.5billion Galloper project.

The company, which has offices at Eye and at the OrbisEnergy centre in Lowestoft, is applying its expertise in finding unexploded ordnance (UXO) across an area which will be home to 56 offshore wind turbines.

It has been hired by Aberdeen-based subsea services provider N-Sea to carry out the work which is likely to last at least six months. The area is known to have been heavily mined during both world wars, and has also been used for military training.

Ordtek director Lee Gooderham: “We are delighted to be working on this important renewable energy project off our local Suffolk shoreline.

“This is a significant and complex project for us, with considerable ordnance having previously been found at the neighbouring Greater Gabbard site.”

Ordtek recently launched a unique “Mine Map” sharing information about UXO around the UK coastline using data from a variety of sources.