With the clock ticking as officials and dignitaries prepared for the grand opening of a new school in West Africa, a team of 40 sailors and officers from Type 23 frigate

HMS Iron Duke turned up, paint brushes in hand, to make their mark on the place.

Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, was the first port of call for the warship after setting out from Portsmouth on her South Atlantic deployment in mid-September.

The Royal Navy party was met by a group of smiling pupils, resplendent in their orange uniforms, and despite some logistical problems, the task was tackled with enthusiasm.

With only enough paint to complete half the school, some Naval ingenuity was required with some paint thinner.

But with ten brushes and a sense of humour, Iron Duke’s team finished the job – with just hours to spare before the school’s official opening.

Local community leaders and members of the government and military attended the ceremony to herald the new school’s start.

Cdr Peter Carden, Commanding Officer of HMS Iron Duke, said: “This was a rare and humbling experience for the ship’s company of Iron Duke to provide assistance to the innocent generation in this desperately poor country.

“ What little we provided will no doubt remain a vivid memory to the children at the Lewab Boyd Preparatory School in Freetown, and to those ship’s company who participated.”

A local orphanage also benefitted from a clothing collection by the ship prior to sailing.

The frigate’s three-day visit to the West African state also saw her provide basic navigation, seamanship, firefighting and first aid training to members of the Sierra Leone Maritime Wing.