New 'island' near Hurst Castle sparks sailor safety fears

And the uncharted territory has already been 'claimed' by two adventurous sailors who were the first to make landfall there.

Chris Fox and Nick Ryley set out at 6am from the Royal Lymington Yacht Club to sail five miles to the new 330ft by 65ft shingle bank in the Solent.

The duo planted the flag of their yacht club in the middle of the isle, which they have called Lentune Island after the original name for Lymington from 1,000 years ago.

The half-acre isle, which is fully visible at low tide, has gradually built up over the last few months to the east of historic Hurst Castle.

The new 'isle' in The Solent. Picture: BNPS (Image: BNPS)

It is thought Lentune Island has formed naturally as a result of work to protect the castle from coastal erosion after one of its walls collapsed in 2021.

Thousands of tonnes of shingle have since been dug up from the seabed to bolster Hurst Spit.

The excavations have altered the tidal currents and conditions which in turn has moved the shingle about to form the new bank.

Now sailors and fishermen are calling on the authorities to recognise it and chart it to stop hapless mariners from grounding on it at high tide.

Mr Fox, who is aged in his 50s, said: "We had been monitoring the island for a while. It started as a strange lump in the sea and just kept growing.

"Nick had the idea that we should head out there and try to see exactly how big it had become.

"We were very careful, we sailed over in a small fishing boat with life jackets on and took every precaution.

"We were surprised by how big it was in the end, about 100 metres long and 20 metres wide.

"We took a flag for a bit of fun but in all seriousness I think it is dangerous for any visiting sailors who don't know the area very well.

"We're trying to spread the word with the RNLI that this is a new hazard which could prove disastrous for someone unaware of it.

"Everyone has been talking about it and we're not really sure why it has emerged or what could be causing it.

"We have decided to call it Lentune Island after the ancient name for Lymington in the Domesday Book."

The new landmass has caused a lot of concern for the local RNLI team which has also been monitoring the progress of the island.

The new 'isle' in The Solent has attracted plenty of attention. Picture: BNPS (Image: BNPS)

Alistair Mackay, manager of Lymington Lifeboat Station, said: "We are trying to raise awareness of this new danger for sailors.

"We know that the local sailing clubs are aware of the problem but we worry about visiting sailors.

"It definitely will be a problem. In storm conditions being grounded on the shingle would be disastrous.

"You wouldn't be able to swim to shore and the rocks and waves battering the boat would cause real damage.

"We are advising people to be very careful even if they are experienced sailing in the area.

"The UK Hydrographic Office are aware of the situation and are adding a warning onto their charts."

An associate professor in physical geography at Bournemouth University believes the phenomenon may have been caused by English Heritage protecting the Hurst Castle, which was built by Henry VIII as a fort to protect against a French invasion.

Dr Luciana Esteves said: "Hurst Spit is artificially maintained, with a lot of shingle added over time.

"Sources indicate that 7,500 tonnes of shingle were added to the edge of the spit after the damage to the wall of Hurst Castle in 2021.

"It's possible that recent conditions moved the shingle forming this new shoal."

Aerial image of the new 'isle' which has appeared in The Solent. Picture: BNPS (Image: BNPS)

Andrew Colenutt, head of hydrography at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, made it clear that the position of the shingle beach in the area changes constantly.

He said: "The recent coastal defence works to protect the castle will also have altered the tidal currents and conditions, causing a localised change in sediment transport.

"We were aware of this feature in January. The area under discussion is a ridge crest of this mobile beach and foreshore area.

"At high tide, only the ridge crest is visible, but it is not a new island.

"We have surveyed this area in the past and we work closely with colleagues at the Channel Coastal Observatory who have been monitoring Hurst Spit and the frontage around the castle for 30 years.

"Data shows that the 'island' is within the footprint of the beach."

An English Heritage spokesperson said: "The Hurst spit and the wider coastal environment around Hurst Castle is complex and ever changing, facing issues such as longshore drift, rising sea levels and more frequent storms.

"Any work undertaken to care for Hurst Castle is carried out as part of the Beach Management Plan and in close discussion with those statutory bodies responsible."