German works cleared at castle

OCCUPATION relics have been excavated at Castle Cornet.

Festung Guernsey, in conjunction with the Culture and Leisure Department and Probation Service, have removed tonnes of rubble to enable access to a covered trench, two mortar pits and a personnel shelter that have been buried since the 1980s.

Festung Guernsey member and castle keeper Shaun Marsh said the project was first discussed five years ago, but only recently were the resources available.

'We asked the Probation Service and they agreed. In total, it took around 60 hours to dig out and we moved about 50 tonnes of rubble. The guys and girls worked very hard and were very enthusiastic.'

Known as a 'cut and shut' tunnel – roughly 6.5ft high and 30-40ft long – it would have, Mr Marsh said, taken about a week to make and was designed to allow shelters to be built rapidly on the front line.