After four months away as part of Task Force Orion, minehunters HMS Atherstone and Hurworth have returned to their Portsmouth home on Friday August 3.

The small ships have enjoyed visits to ports in the Mediterranean and Black Sea during a busy programme of exercises that saw the Royal Naval vessels working with other nations including Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Italy.

Hurworth's commanding officer Lt Cdr Andy Woolhead said: "We have had a very busy but extremely enjoyable deployment and for many of the sailors on board it was their first time away.

"We are looking forward to getting back to Portsmouth and let's hope we can bring a little bit of the Mediterranean weather with us."

Fellow Orion members HMS Walney and Shoreham are on their way back to HM Naval Base Clyde and will be home days later.

For more details on the Task Force Orion deployment to the Black Sea, see the August Navy News, page 8.