Dolphin escort for HMS Queen Elizabeth just days after carrier leaves Portsmouth harbour

Just days after leaving port for advanced training around the UK and Europe, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her crew are already making friends – with a pod of dolphins.

The ocean mammals – spotted near Lyme Bay – were seen playing alongside the 65-000 tonne warship in footage taken by the crew.

Preparing to take over from HMS Prince of Wales as Nato's flagship next year, Queen Elizabeth and her crew of more than 800 sailors will spend the next three months working alongside allies to enhance collective security, deterrence and readiness.

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Her latest deployment comes as the Defence Investment Plan confirmed that £240 million is being invested in the development of new drones to build a Hybrid Carrier Air Wing, including jet-powered drones to work alongside F-35 fighter jets.

Having assumed the role of Nato's command ship for the Allied Response Force in July, the carrier will also rehearse how an allied naval force would operate together in the event of a crisis.

It's the first time either of the Queen Elizabeth-class ships has performed this Nato role.