HMS Queen Elizabeth, Royal Navy's latest aircraft carrier, suffers a leak

The Royal Navy’s latest aircraft carrier, the £3.1 billion HMS Queen Elizabeth, has sprung a leak.

Engineers discovered an issue with the shaft seal on board the warship, which was only accepted into the Royal Navy fleet by The Queen earlier this month.

At 280m long and with an estimated half-a-century working life, the behemoth is the biggest and most powerful ever built by the UK.

It is understood the vessel, which weighs 65,000 tonnes and has a top speed in excess of 25 knots, has been leaking for some time.

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"An issue with a shaft seal has been identified during HMS Queen Elizabeth’s sea trials; this is scheduled for repair while she is alongside at Portsmouth,” a Royal Navy spokesman said.

"It does not prevent her from sailing again and her sea trials programme will not be affected."

A number of ship-building yards around the country were involved in the build - these include Govan and Scotstoun in Glasgow, Appledore in Devon, Cammell Laird in Liverpool, A&P on the Tyne in Newcastle and Portsmouth.

Around 10,000 people worked on construction of the ship, made up in sections at yards around the UK and transported to Rosyth, Fife, where it was assembled.