Researchers in Colorado have come up with an explanation as to how Moses was able to part the Red Sea and save the Israelites from Pharaoh’s army.

The group of scientists from the University of Colorado (CU) and the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) found that the waters could have been separated by a strong gust of wind.

The investigation, which used computer modelling, suggests that Moses’ extraordinary feat took place at the Nile delta rather than Red Sea.

And rather than a strong hand and an outstretched arm, the scientists think the parting of the waters can be understood “through fluid dynamics”.

According to the research, a 63mph east wind blew apart the sea in northern Egypt enabling the Israelites to cross safely.

Such a strong wind would have created a “land bridge” up to four km long and five km wide, and the waters would have remained separated for four hours.

The scientist in charge of the research, Carl Drews, said: "The simulations match fairly closely with the account in Exodus."

In 2002 a BBC documentary suggested that the Red Sea could have been split as a result of a volcanic eruption on the Mediterranean island of Santorini, 500 miles away.