ONE of the Royal Navy’s newest vessels berths in port at the start of a five-day visit to her adopted North-East city, on Thursday (March 27).

It offers a chance for the commander and crew of HMS Dauntless to further foster affiliations with Newcastle and the wider region.

The Type-45 destroyer, among the most modern additions to the senior service, is expected to “go alongside”, at Northumbrian Quay, North Shields, at 9am, remaining in port until Monday, departing at approximately 10am.

Although not open to the public, a number of youth groups, as well as potential local naval recruits will have the chance to run the rule over Dauntless in pre-arranged tours.

These include Sea Cadet units from Chester-le-Street, Newburn, Wallsend and Whitley Bay, plus catering students from Sunderland College and uniformed services course students from Tyne Metropolitan College.

Civic dignitaries and other invited guests will visit on Friday evening.

A detachment from Dauntless will be guests of Newcastle’s Lord Mayor  Margaret Wood, for a special lunch on Sunday.

Members of the ship’s company will also pay their respects at Friday’s funeral for Sapper Adam Moralee, who died in a recent accident at Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan.

The 23-year-old Royal Engineer from Ryton, Gateshead, will be mourned at the service at Newcastle’s St Nicholas Cathedral.

Commanding officer Adrian Fryer said: "I couldn’t be more proud to bring this great ship back to her adopted home."

HMS Dauntless will then sail to Scotland to join a NATO exercise.