BRITAIN'S oldest submarine, built in Barrow more than 35 years ago, has sailed to her home port for the last time.

HMS Trenchant was welcomed home to Devonport Naval Base for the final time ahead of her decommissioning later this year.

Sailing into her home port in Plymouth for the last time, the submarine proudly flew her paying off pennant - an age-old tradition - and a number of her crew ‘went up top’ to line the casing.

Tugs Faithful and Adept sprayed a water salute over Trenchant in recognition of her long and esteemed service in the Royal Navy.

HMS Trenchant is a Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered submarine. She was launched in 1986 by war hero Vice Admiral Sir Arthur Hezlet, the commander of the original HMS Trenchant submarine during the Second World War.

Together with the Astute class, HMS Trenchant makes up the Royal Navy’s hunter-killer submarine force.

The boat was involved in a controversy last year after commander John Lewis was sacked for organising a barbecue for his crew amid the coronavirus lockdown.

During her 35 years on patrol there have been many highlights of her service, two of which have been her ice-patrols.

In 2016 the boat punched through the ice and emerged on the surface of the Arctic Ocean.

This marked nearly a decade since a British boat had carried out this manoeuvre, re-generating the Submarine Service’s under ice capability.

In 2018 in the harsh environment of the North Pole HMS Trenchant broke through the ice in an exercise with the US Navy, literally sitting on top of the world.

As Trenchant was gently edged alongside to her jetty by her tugs she was welcomed by the Captain of the Submarine Flotilla and a previous commanding officer.