Remains of a Nazi V2 rocket fired at Britain during the Second World War have been unearthed in a Kent field.

The 12.5-tonne German missile was launched towards London from The Hague in occupied Holland 78 years ago but fell short of its target instead landing in the Halstow Marshes on Medway’s Hoo Peninsula.

Researchers have pinpointed the exact date and time of its explosion as February 17, 1945 at 2pm.

Hitler used the missiles – the world’s first ballistic missiles – as part of his terror weapons programme in an effort to force Britain into surrender.

Around 100 of these “Vengeance Weapons” were fired towards Britain each week between 1944 and 1945, in the hopes of causing maximum destruction.

Of the V2's weight, 8.5 tonnes was made up of fuel, three tonnes comprised the missile’s body, and one tonne made up the weapon’s warhead.

For more on ‘Doodle Bugs’- V1 rockets- from the people who saw them fly over the county and survived their blasts click here.

The find is the second V2 rocket found in Kent in the past few years, with the team at Research Resource Archaeology previously digging up a missile at St Mary's Platt near Sevenoaks back in 2021.

Colin Welch, who runs Research Resource Archaeology, a private archaeological team that has carried out several wartime-related projects throughout Kent said the dig was of “paramount importance”.

He explained: "We are continually expanding our understanding of the V2 rocket attacks of 1944 and 1945, and the more evidence we uncover, the more comprehensive our understanding of these events becomes."

Mr Welch also thanked H. E. Services (Plant Hire) Ltd, which provided the machinery for the excavation, for helping them overcome the challenges posed by digging for a missile in marshy terrain with soft clay.

He added: “The ground in these marshes contains a lot of very soft clay.

“Although this aids in the preservation of artefacts, it presents numerous challenges during excavation.

“Fortunately, we were able to secure a Komatsu PC138 tracked excavator from them which made the excavation both safe and feasible.

“We would not have achieved this without their invaluable support."