THE Royal Navy minehunter HMS Middleton has sailed 'home' - or as near as she could.

The 195ft warship made a rare trip along the Manchester Ship Canal before berthing at Salford Quay, the nearest point to her namesake town.

The specialist vessel is considered to be among the best in the world and is inch for inch the Royal Navy's most expensive and capable warship.

Her 44 crew spent five months in the Baltic last year clearing mines from the Second World War and the Cold War which followed.

After a four-day berth in Salford, the hi-tech ship will go on a six-week training operation off Scotland ahead of an eight-month deployment to the Gulf.

Commanding officer Lieut Commander Mark Thompson said: "It is the first time the Middleton has come home in three years. It will allow the ship's company to share their experiences with the public, giving an insight into what we do."

HMS Middleton will be based beside the Lowry over the weekend and will be open free to the public from 1pm to 4pm today.

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