A DIGGER left stuck in the sea bed for two months has finally been removed.

The £850,000 machine, affectionately nick-named Moby Dig has become a familiar sight off Lancing beach since April.

The digger had been working on cable trenches dug along the seabed as part of the construction of the Rampion Windfarm when it became stranded.

A large vessel called the Cormorant, which carried a giant crane, was brought in from the Netherlands to carry out the work.

It arrived off the coast yesterday and pulled the digger out of the sea bed before taking it to Southampton.

Rampion commercial manager Vaughan Weighill said: “The salvage operation took a lot of planning and preparation to ensure we got it right and delivered in a controlled and safe manner.

“It has gone to plan and been a success.”