Big day for Appledore shipyard

Appledore Shipyard in North Devon is handing over the first of two vessels to the Irish Navy today.

The Samuel Beckett is the first fully completed ship to have been built at the yard in more than a decade.

The shipyard owned by Babcock usually builds the hull of vessels which are then fitted out elsewhere. The €99 million deal was signed in 2010 for two vessels. The James Joyce is still being built.