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An underwater volcano which has been bubbling away off the coast of El Hierro since the summer is rising closer and closer to the surface, according to geologists.

Experts have been keeping a close eye on seismic movements in and around La Restinga, the nearest coastal town to the crater, following literally thousands of minor earthquakes and sub-aquatic eruptions were recorded almost daily in the past few months.

They have now revealed that the mouth of the volcano is just 130 metres from the surface of the water, and that the lava belching out of it and causing steaming pillars coming up off the sea originates from around 2,000 metres further down.

An estimated 145 million cubic metres of lava has been emitted since the volcano started to erupt, and at 17.00hrs on Friday evening a huge explosion of boiling lava rose to the surface of the sea.

The water temperature in the area affected by the volcano was found to be an average of three degrees higher than the parts of the sea out of its sphere of influence - a figure of 22.6ºC above and around the crater and 19.4ºC elsewhere in the ocean.