by Sian Napier

snapier@thekmgroup.co.uk

TWO men have completed a spectacular 70ft jump from the Second World War forts off the coast of Whitstable.

Gary Hunt and Blake Aldridge leapt from a platform on the Red Sands fort as part of their preparation for the first UK leg of the world cliff diving series.

Both divers, pictured in this image, successfully completed the daring dive into the estuary and will next be in action thrilling crowds in Pembrokeshire tomorrow (Friday) Sep 7.

Former Olympic diver Blake, 30, and Gary, 28 – the reigning cliff dive world champion – launched themselves from an old winch platform off the fort, which is about 10 miles out from Whitstable.

They were preparing for the penultimate stop of the 2012 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

Having completed the world’s most difficult dive in Boston, the most recent stop in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Blake said he had been looking forward to diving from the fort and performing in Wales.

He said: “It will be the first time the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has come to the UK.

“Competing in front of a home crowd and my long-time sponsors is going to be very special and, of course, I’ll be doing my new dive, which is the world’s hardest.”

The rusting Maunsell forts are fortified towers built in the Thames Estuary during the Second World War to help defend the United Kingdom.

They were decommissioned in the late 1950s and later used for other activities, including pirate radio.