HMS LEDBURY - M30

Exercising in Lower Loch Long and the Ardmore Channel today, the 'Hunt' class mine countermeasures ship LEDBURY, built like most of the class at Vosper Thorneycroft's Woolston shipyard and commissioned in June 1981. Second ship of the class, she had the dubious reputation of having been the Navy's most expensive warship per metre length at the time of her construction, costing £65 million. An early deployment was to the Falkland Islands, for mine clearance operations following the cessation of hostilities there. Following a maintenance period, she paid a visit to London where she was one of the main attractions at an ocean technology conference. Following that, she lowered the Fishery Protection Squadron pennant for the last time on a 'Hunt' class ship - such duties are now carried out by TYNE and her sisters. LEDBURY is now preparing to rejoin other NATO minehunters on a European deployment.