Lone yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur had a mid-Atlantic meeting with the Iron Duke as she continues her bid for the fastest single-handed circumnavigation.

Two degrees north of the Equator Ewllen, who is heading south, passed Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke and Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Gold Rover, which were steaming northwards from Brazil.

The two ships had been monitoring Ellen’s progress since she left home waters, and have also been sending weather reports to her website.

On Monday Iron Duke launched her Lynx helicopter, with the frigate’s Commanding Officer, Cdr Peter Carden, on board to make initial contact with Ellen’s boat, B&Q.

Ellen reported that she had been making slow progress overnight, but the helicopter’s Flight Commander, Lt Glyn Owen, told her that the winds were strong and favourable to the south.

When the yacht was sighted by the ships, they closed to within 1,000 metres on either side of the yacht, and many of the ships' companies went on to the upper decks to take photos.

Cdr Carden said that Ellen sounded in high spirits, and addeda that, as a fellow seaman, he was “full of admiration for what she was doing, sailing on her own, spending long, long periods at sea and braving the southern oceans.”

HMS Iron Duke is on her way back to Portsmouth after completing her duties as Atlantic Patrol Ship (South), and is duein her home port shortly before Christmas, having stopped off at Lisbon on the way.

Her task has been taken over by Type 42 destroyer HMS Gloucester, although RFA Gold Rover will remain on station in the South Atlantic, in support of Gloucester.