The stricken Royal Navy warship damaged after hitting rocks last month is to be towed to the Australian mainland in the next few days.

HMS Nottingham - a �300m destroyer - was badly damaged after smashing its hull open on rocks near Lord Howe Island, on 7 July.

Its 360-mile tow to Newcastle in New South Wales is expected to take three or four days.

Three tugs will be used to tow the ship backwards to reduce the risk of further flooding, in an operation overseen by a British Ministry of Defence salvage master.

A real bond has developed between the ship and the island

Commander Mike Souter

British Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Mike Souter said the extent of the ship's damage would not be known until she was in dry dock.

Further repairs will be carried out in Newcastle before the vessel is loaded on to a special ship to be taken back to Britain.

The timing of the journey to Newcastle depends on the weather.

Gift of thanks

Commander Souter added: "Unless it's absolutely horrible, my guess is that they'll probably go for it. We're not going to find four of five days of perfect weather."

He said 41 of the 80 crew still aboard the Nottingham would return to the Royal Australian Air Force base at Richmond, near Sydney, aboard a C1-30 Hercules Saturday.

The 300 island residents 'will be missed'

"A real bond has developed between the ship and the island," Commander Souter said of Lord Howe Island.

"They've been outstanding. They've done everything and more than we ever could have wished for.

"As a way of saying thanks to the islanders, we have presented them with two Laser sailing yachts, which have Royal Navy sails on them.

"They are small dinghies ideal for teaching people to sail."

A Navy board is investigating the collision.