More than half the crew of a Royal Navy warship which collided with rocks off the Australian coast have been flown to the mainland.

The �300m destroyer HMS Nottingham was badly damaged after it smashed into Wolf Rock, near Lord Howe Island, on 7 July.

Temporary repairs are under way to enable the ship to be towed somewhere it can be properly examined.

Officials said on Tuesday that 150 sailors were flown from the island by C-130 Royal Australian Air Force aircraft.

Emergency repairs are needed to move the ship

About 40 crew will remain on board for the tow and another 50 are staying on to prepare for it.

The crew arriving on the mainland will be involved in preparations for the ship's return to the UK or be granted leave.

None of the 253-strong crew was injured in the incident, which happened about 200 miles north east of Sydney.

Court martial

Work being done includes the welding of additional steelwork into the ship to strengthen areas worst affected.

Two Royal New Zealand Navy ships, HMNZS Endeavour and HMNZS Te Mana, arrived at the scene last week to assist the stricken ship.

The 300 island residents look on

HMNZS Te Mana has been released to return home after the arrival of Australian tug Austral Salvor.

A second tug, Pacific Chieftain, is expected at the scene shortly.

A Ministry of Defence investigation and board of inquiry will decide if the ship's captain, Commander Richard Farrington, or any of his crew, should face a court martial.

It is believed the inquiries may take months to complete.