Battered warship is refloated

The HMS Nottingham is refloated in the Solent

The HMS Nottingham has been refloated and is being towed into Portsmouth Harbour.

It is the final part of an £11m salvage operation by the Navy to return the destroyer to the UK.

The ship was holed on rocks off Lord Howe Island, on the Australian coast in July.

On Friday morning the battered vessel was separated from the heavy lifting ship MV Swan and towed back into the harbour to begin £26m repairs.

The Nottingham is being towed backwards to stop seawater flooding her hull.

Once she has been dry-docked the repair programme will begin.

The work at Portsmouth naval base is likely to take 18 months.