A ROYAL Navy officer from the North-East has netted a top trophy with her warship.

Lieutenant Commander Catherine Jordan and her crew aboard warship HMS Severn won the Offshore Patrol Vessels’ Efficiency Pennant and the squadron’s most coveted award – the Jersey Cup – in recognition of their work last year.

The 36-year old from Easington, near Peterlee, east Durham, is one of only two female commanding officers of an operational warship in the Royal Navy.

HMS Severn, part of the fisheries protection squadron, covered 40,135 nautical miles, conducting 325 boardings of fishing vessels, resulting in 161 verbal rebriefs, 12 official warnings and seven detentions during the year.

The ship also starred in the second series of Sea Patrol UK, which covered all those agencies that patrol and administer the sea areas around the British Isles.

It was the winner of the Squadron Sport’s Day in January last year, and members of the crew conducted events that raised more than £1,000 for nominated charities.

Lt Cdr Jordan, a former student of Wellfield Comprehensive School and Gordonstoun, said: “It is very rewarding to be recognised for the hard work of the team onboard HMS Severn.

“We had a very busy 2010 and I am very proud and privileged to be the commanding officer of such a highly professional and motivated team, and a very capable ship.”

Lt Cdr Jordan has served in the Royal Navy for 17-anda- half years, starting out as a Lynx helicopter observer with the Fleet Air Arm. She was later flight commander on board HMS St Albans and operations officer on HM Ships Iron Duke and Albion.

She has commanded HMS Severn for 14 months.

Her career in the Senior Service has taken her all around the globe, including most of Northern Europe, the USA, Canada, the Caribbean and some countries in South America.

The pennant and trophy were presented to Lt Cdr Jordan and HMS Severn by Rear Admiral Surface Ships, Rear Admiral Chris Snow.