[3] It helped pave the way for more than 2700 bigger offshore turbines installed in British waters since then.

[4] In 2012 there were plans to add a 100 MW test facility of 15 turbines at Blyth and nearby Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, supported by a government grant.

The site would be administered by The National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), based in Blyth.

Due to the nature of the rock reef on which the farm was sited the process was to drill a 3.25m diameter socket into the bedrock.

The piles were then positioned centrally in the socket and grout was pumped into the annulus to complete the foundation.