US Shooting: Victims Were Shot Multiple Times

US Shooting: Deadliest Massacres

Updated: 12:23pm UK, Saturday 15 December 2012

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, is among the deadliest in modern US history.

Adam Lanza, 20, killed his mother before opening fire in the elementary school killing 20 children and six adults. He then turned the gun on himself.

It is the worst school shooting in America's history and second only to the Virginia Tech massacre in terms of the country's deadliest ever attacks.

Both attacks make up a grim history of mass murders using firearms in the US.

:: Aurora, Colorado, July 20, 2012:

A masked gunman burst in on the Century 16 cinema during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises throwing tear gas before opening fire.

He killed 12 and injured 58. James Eagan Holmes, 24, is the sole suspect and was arrested at the scene. He will appear in court in January.

:: Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas, November 5, 2009:

A 42-year-old US Army Major, serving as a psychiatrist, opened fire inside the US military base killing 13 and wounding 29 in an attack deemed an act of terrorism. Hasan was shot and captured and is paralysed from the waist down.

Before the killing he had been in touch with the late al Qaeda recruiter Anwar al Awlaki to ask whether he would be considered a martyr if he died shooting US soldiers.

:: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, April 16, 2007:

Seung-Hui Cho, 23, killed 32 and injured 17 in America's deadliest shooting. He launched two separate attacks at the campus two hours apart before killing himself.

Cho had a history of mental illness and was in therapy through his school years.

:: Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, October 2, 2006:

Charles Carl Roberts shot dead five and injured five in an attack at an Amish school. The 32-year-old dish washer at a local restaurant then killed himself.

He was driven by anger at God over the death of his premature daughter.

:: Red Lake Indian Reservation, March 21, 2005:

Sixteen-year-old Jeffrey Weise killed his grandfather and grandfather's companion before opening fire at Red Lake High School. He killed nine and injured seven, then took his own life.

He blamed years of school bullying for the attack.

:: Forth Worth, Sept 25, 1999:

Unemployed white supremacist Larry Gene Ashbrook opened fire on the congregation of Wedgwood Baptist Church, killing seven and wounding seven. He then turned the gun on himself.

Ashbrook, 47, was a member of a group that advocated killing minorities.

:: Atlanta, July 29, 1999:

Mark Orrin Barton, a trader, opened fire in two investment offices killing nine and wounding 12. He killed himself after a six-hour police manhunt.

The 44-year-old had been upset by big financial losses.

:: Columbine High School, Colorado, April 20, 1999:

Students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, opened fire on schoolmates after bombs they had planted in the cafeteria failed to go off. They killed 13 and injured 21 before killing themselves.

The students were motivated by their anger at society. Harris had a history of depression.

:: McDonald's, San Ysidro, California, July 18 1984:

Welder James Huberty walked into a McDonald's and opened fire killing 21 people and wounding 19 before being shot by a police sniper.

The 51-year-old thought society was about to collapse. When asked where he was going as he left the house for the killing, he told his wife: "hunting humans".

:: University of Texas, Austin, August 1, 1966:

Engineering student Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, opened fire on students from the 28th floor of the main campus building. He killed 13 and wounded 32 before being shot dead by a police marksman. He also killed his wife and mother.

In a note he said he was suffering irrational thoughts and wanted to relieve his wife and mother from suffering but offered no explanation for the university attack.

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British Boy Dies In US School Shooting

A British-born boy has been named as one of the victims of the worst school shooting in America's history, Sky News has learned.

Dylan Hockley, 6, was shot dead by a gunman at an elementary school in Connecticut.

He was born in Hampshire to a British father and American mother.

Twenty children and seven adults, including the gunman's mother, died before Adam Lanza, 20, turned a gun on himself at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

It has been confirmed that US President Barack Obama will attend a memorial service in the Newtown later today, and will speak at an interfaith vigil for families of the victims.

Meanwhile, a father has paid an emotional tribute to his murdered six-year-old daughter, after police released the names of the gunman's 27 victims.

Robbie Parker said his final conversation with Emilie was in Portuguese, the language he was helping to teach her.

"She told me 'good morning' and asked how I was doing, and I said that I was doing well," he told reporters.

"She said that she loved me, and I gave her a kiss and I was out the door."

Headteacher Dawn Hochsprung and school psychologist Mary Sherlach both died as they tried to confront the gunman.

The pair was in a meeting with therapist Diane Day on Friday, when the gunman began shooting at 9.30am.

On hearing the shots, they both jumped out of their seats and ran out of the room.

"They didn't think twice about confronting or seeing what was going on," Ms Day said.

Ms Hochsprung is also believed to have switched on a loudspeaker system in the school to alert students and staff to the danger.

"She was just an amazing woman ... the kids loved her. It's a huge loss for our school and our town," said assistant librarian Maryanne Jacobs.

Fourth-grade teacher Theodore Varga said: "You could hear the hysteria that was going on.

"Whoever did that saved a lot of people. Everyone in the school was listening to the terror that was transpiring."

Another hero was said to be first-grade teacher Vicki Leigh Soto, 27, described by police as someone who "put herself between the kids and the gunman's bullets".

Her body was found huddled with the students in a classroom closet, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Youth soccer coach David Flook, originally from Northampton, England, told Sky News of the turmoil his town is now in.

"Everybody is absolutely devastated. People don't know what they can do," he said.

He described Newtown as the "least dangerous place on earth" and as "almost the perfect town".

He added: "It was the perfect town."

The father of gunman Adam Lanza released a statement on Saturday night. He said: "Our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones and to all those who were injured.

"We are in a state of disbelief and trying to find whatever answers we can. We too are asking why."

On Saturday, police released a list of all the victims of Lanza: Charlotte Bacon, age 6, Daniel Barden, 7, Olivia Engel, 6, Josephine Gay, 7, Ana M Marquez-Greene, 6, Dylan Hockley, 6, Madeleine F Hsu, 6, Catherine V Hubbard, 6, Chase Kowalski , 7, Jesse Lewis, 6, James Mattioli, 6, Grace McDonnell, 7, Emilie Parker, 6, Jack Pinto, 6, Noah Pozner, 6, Caroline Previdi, 6, Jessica Rekos, 6, Avielle Richman, 6, Benjamin Wheeler, 6, Allison N Wyatt, 6, Rachel Davino, 29, Dawn Hochsprung, 47, Nancy Lanza, 52, Anne Marie Murphy, 52, Lauren Rousseau, 30, Mary Sherlach, 56, and Victoria Soto, 27.

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Connecticut School Shooting: Newtown Grieves

At least 28 people - including 20 young children - have been killed in one of the worst school shootings in US history.

The victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, are believed to include the school principal, teachers and young pupils aged between five and 10.

The gunman - described as masked and heavily armed - reportedly used a .223-calibre rifle, as well as two handguns - a Glock and a Sig Sauer.

Other guns reportedly found at the school are being traced by state and federal authorities to confirm ownership, according to a law enforcement official.

The shooter has been named as 20-year-old Adam Lanza.

The school is in the south west of Connecticut

A body found at Lanza's family home in Newtown is believed to be his mother Nancy, a teacher at the school.

The killer is thought to have driven his mother's car to Sandy Hook before carrying out the attack in a bulletproof vest.

His older brother, 24-year-old Ryan Lanza is being questioned by police, but is not thought to have any involvement in the killings and was said to have been "extremely cooperative".

An official briefed on the investigation told the AP news agency that Mr Lanza has said his brother was believed to suffer from a personality disorder and be "somewhat autistic".

Hundreds of people have packed a church at Newtown's St Rose of Lima church for a memorial service, with many more spilling onto the street, where they held hands in circles and said prayers. 

Governor Dannel Malloy said: "Evil visited this community today. It's too early to speak of recovery."

Families mourned their dead together at a Newtown church service

Lieutenant Paul Vance told a media conference earlier that 18 children had died at the school, two were taken to hospital for treatment where they later died. Six adults were found dead at the scene.

"The shooter is deceased inside the building," he added.

It has also been reported that the school headteacher has been killed.

One mother, Brenda Lebinski, told Fox News: "I talked to some parents that I knew and they said there were children being carried out all bloody, they thought they were dead.

"I was in total panic, numb, until I saw my daughter coming with her teacher from the school ... I grabbed her and it was the happiest moment of my life."

She added: "Another mum that I knew said she was actually in the school ... She said a masked gunman came in and was firing and that the principal is dead.

"This is a young vivacious woman who loved her job. She was the best principal."

Photos from the scene showed children, some of them crying, being escorted by adults through a car park in a line, hands on each other's shoulders.

Relatives wait for news

Stephen Delgiadice said his eight-year-old daughter heard two big bangs before teachers told her to get in a corner. His daughter was unharmed.

"It's alarming, especially in Newtown, Connecticut, which we always thought was the safest place in America," he said.

US president Barack Obama, who ordered White House flags to be flown at half mast, wiped away tears as he paid tribute to the victims.

He said: "There is not a parent in America who does not feel the same overwhelming grief as I do."

PM David Cameron said he was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the tragedy and the Queen sent a message of condolence to President Obama.

Newtown is a small, tranquil community in one of the wealthiest counties in the US, about 60 miles (96km) northeast of New York City.

The incident began around half an hour after the school day had started.

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Victims 'To Get Voice' As Asbos Scrapped

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

Victims of anti-social behaviour will get to have a say in how offenders are punished under plans put forward by the Government.

The so-called Community Remedy forms part of draft legislation that could become law in 2014.

The changes, based on a Government white paper published in May, will slim down existing laws, with Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) being scrapped on the grounds that they were seen by some offenders as a badge of honour.

Home Office minister Jeremy Browne said victims of anti-social behaviour would be able to have their say on out-of-court punishments of offenders.

"Victims of anti-social behaviour and low level crime often feel powerless," he said.

"Our reforms will place power back in the hands of the people, giving them a proper say in how their local area is policed."

The plans have been welcomed by Joanne Binns, 39, who was driven from her Leeds home six years ago by a gang of youths.

"It was like no matter what I did, they were tormenting me and my family, we couldn't go anywhere, we couldn't sit in our own home," she said.

It took a year to bring some of the offenders to court, by which time she said she had had enough.

"Even in our own home with the curtains closed there were bricks getting thrown, graffiti drawn on our house, it was just a life of hell," she said.

In the six years since then, Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Police say they have worked with other agencies to create a more effective system to deal with anti-social behaviour.

Police Superintendent Keith Gilert, the council's chief community safety officer, believes many of the Government's proposals will help them to do even more.

"What we find here in Leeds is that an awful lot of these issues can be dealt with at quite a low level and can be resolved through mediation and negotiation between the parties," he said.

Under the changes, more punishments would be dealt with outside the court system, with police, councils and others working together to create a local 'menu' of ways to deal with offenders.

Victims could be asked whether they want an offender to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract, take part in alcohol or drug treatment, pay compensation or repair damage.

Ms Binns, who now works with her council to improve communities, says she cannot wait for the Bill to be passed.

"With Asbos they can tell them where not to hang around, where not to go, but they can't tell them to go on a drug rehabilitation course," she said.

"With the new Bill we can, so it's going to help perpetrators, but also give the victim a voice, and that's what my main concern is."

The draft legislation is now open to public consultation and will be scrutinised by the Home Affairs Select Committee.

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Royal Prank Call Nurse's Inquest Set To Open

Timeline: Nurse Prank Call Tragedy

Updated: 2:04am UK, Thursday 13 December 2012

Here are some of the key developments surrounding the death of hospital nurse Jacintha Saldanha following a hoax phone call by two Australian radio hosts.

Monday, December 3
The Duchess of Cambridge is admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London with severe morning sickness.

Tuesday, December 4
2Day FM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian make their hoax call to the hospital in the early hours of the morning, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles. Nurse Jacintha Saldanha puts them through to a colleague who divulges details of how doctors have been treating the Duchess.

Wednesday, December 5
A King Edward VII's Hospital spokesman confirms the Australian radio station made the prank call, saying it "deplores" the act and is conducting a review of its phone system.

Thursday, December 6
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves hospital.

Friday, December 7
:: Ms Saldanha is pronounced dead at staff accommodation close to the hospital. She is thought to have taken her own life, although a post-mortem examination is yet to be held.

:: King Edward VII's Hospital releases a statement saying: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Ms Saldanha. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues."

:: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge send their condolences to Ms Saldanha's family.

Saturday, December 8
:: Ms Saldanha's family in southwest India speak of their heartache. Her mother-in-law, Carmine Barboza, says: "Jacintha was a very caring woman. She used to call us every Sunday without fail. We just cannot believe what has happened."

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian go on indefinite leave from the radio station after they are bombarded with abusive and threatening messages on social media websites.

::  Lord Glenarthur, chairman of the King Edward VII's Hospital, writes a latter to 2Day FM calling for the "truly appalling" broadcast to "never be repeated".

:: Max Moore-Wilton, chairman of Southern Cross Austereo which owns 2Day FM, describes the events over the past few days as "tragic", but adds: "The outcome was unforeseeable and very regrettable."

Sunday, December 9
:: It emerges Mel Greig and Michael Christian may be questioned by London's Metropolitan Police.

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian express a desire to speak about the tragedy, but are still in hiding.

:: The Australian Communications and Media Authority, which regulates radio broadcasting, says it is considering whether it should launch an investigation into whether the presenters breached the commercial radio code of practice.

Monday, December 10

:: Mr Christian and Ms Greig break their silence, expressing their regret and sorrow over the tragedy in a series of emotional Australian TV interviews. They insist they never expected their phone call to go so far and thought hospital staff would hang up on them. Both extend sympathy to Ms Saldanha's family.

:: The family pay tribute to a "loving mother and wife". Speaking on their behalf, MP Keith Vaz says: "They are really grateful for the support of the British public and the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness."

Tuesday, December 11

:: A memorial fund for Ms Saldanha's family is set up by the radio station. Parent company Southern Cross Austereo is expected to contribute AUS$500,000 (£326,000).

Wednesday, December 12

:: Sky sources reveal that Ms Saldanha was found hanged in her room at staff accommodation. At Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron says: "She clearly loved her job, loved her work, cared deeply about the health of her patients, and what's happened is a complete tragedy. There are many lessons that need to be learned."

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Vigilante Cop Executed Over 1986 Killing Spree

A former police officer who murdered nine people during a 1986 crime spree has been executed.

Manuel Pardo was pronounced dead at Florida State Prison about 16 minutes after the lethal injection process began.

His lawyers had tried to block the execution by arguing that he was mentally ill.

Reporters could not hear his final statement because of an apparent malfunction in the death chamber's sound system.

During a 92-day period in early 1986, Pardo committed a series of robberies, killing six men and three women.

He took photos of the victims and recounted some details in his diary, which was found along with newspaper cuttings about the murders.

He was linked to the killings after using credit cards stolen from the victims.

Officials said most of the 56-year-old's victims were involved with drugs. Pardo contended that he was doing the world a favour by killing them.

"I am a soldier, I accomplished my mission and I humbly ask you to give me the glory of ending my life and not send me to spend the rest of my days in state prison," Pardo told jurors at his 1988 trial.

He was dubbed the "Death Row Romeo" after he corresponded with dozens of women and persuaded many to send him money.

The former Navy veteran joined the Florida Highway Patrol in the 1970s but he was fired in 1979 for falsifying traffic tickets.

He then joined the police department in Sweetwater, a small city in Miami-Dade County.

In 1981, Pardo was one of four Sweetwater officers charged with brutality, but the cases were dismissed.

He was fired four years later after he flew to the Bahamas to testify at the trial of a Sweetwater colleague who was accused of drug smuggling.

Pardo lied, telling the court they were international undercover agents.

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North Korea's Long-Range Rocket 'A Success'

Rocket Is Propaganda Coup For Kim

Updated: 5:20am UK, Wednesday 12 December 2012

North Korea had two points to prove with its latest rocket launch.

The first was that it had successfully overcome the technical problems that led to the embarrassing failure of an identical launch in April this year.

The second is that the country has indeed put a satellite into space, which would confirm its long-standing claim that all this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme.

It appears to have succeeded with the first point. The rocket remained airborne for a considerable period. It followed the planned and published trajectory and the three "stages" of the rocket separated and fell to the ocean as scheduled.

April's rocket was airborne for barely over a minute before it disintegrated and fell into the sea off South Korea. This time the rocket travelled for about 3,000km (1,864 miles).

The North Koreans claim to have succeeded in putting a satellite being carried by the rocket into orbit.

This is harder for them to prove. On two previous occasions, officials in the North Korean capital Pyongyang have said they have put satellites into space. But international observers including the US and Russia have found no evidence of this.

Pyongyang is yet to provide images of a working satellite being loaded into the rocket and that rocket then being launched. Even if they did, they would then need to prove that the satellite was in orbit. Only then can their claim that this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme begin to stand up.

The US  and its allies, including the UK, believe the rocket launch is a straightforward test of North Korea's ballistic missile technology. They say the "space programme" claim is simply a cover.

North Korea has been conducting underground nuclear tests for some time. A combination of those tests with the successful launch and flight of a rocket would give the country somewhat of a credible nuclear deterrent. If it is creating ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear weapons, it could threaten areas as far away as the west coast of the US.

The timing of this launch is very significant. December 19 is the first anniversary of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the father of the current leader Kim Jong-un. December 19 also marks the presidential election in South Korea and the Japanese election is on December 16.

The launch will prompt a wave of propaganda within North Korea. It is designed to solidify the leadership of Kim Jong-un, who is in his early-30s and hugely inexperienced.

Pyongyang announced an intention to launch this latest rocket earlier this month. It gave a launch window of between December 10 and December 21. Last weekend, it extended that window to December 29 citing technical difficulties. The latest launch therefore caught people somewhat by surprise.

Within North Korea, a closed society with no access to international news, there will have been no announcements of the plan in case it failed again. The first North Koreans would have heard of the launch was this morning in a special broadcast on North Korean state TV.

What can the international community do now? Further sanctions perhaps, but they are unlikely to have much of an effect: North Korea is already among the most sanctioned countries in the world.

Pressure on China will no doubt come. Beijing is North Korea's only real ally. The Chinese leadership expressed concern about this latest launch plan, but only because its priority is stability in the region.

The removal of the Kim regime and a North Korea unified with the South would only add to America's clout in the region.

For Pyongyang's part, this launch will provide a massive boost of confidence. Kim Jong-un and those behind him may now use this confidence and perceived new status to engage with the West in order to secure much needed economic assistance. The problem is, Western governments will never believe the claim that this is all about a space programme.

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HSBC 'To Pay $1.9bn' In Money Laundering Case

British banking giant HSBC will pay a record $1.9bn (£1.2bn) to settle a money-laundering probe by US authorities into Europe's biggest bank, reports say.

The investigation of the bank has focused on the transfer of billions of dollars on behalf of nations such as Iran and the movement of money through the US financial system from Mexican drug cartels.

Reports say the bank is expected to pay $1.25bn (£778m) in forfeiture - the biggest such amount in any case involving a bank - on top of $655m (£408m) in civil penalties.

Under what is known as a deferred prosecution agreement, the bank will be accused of violating the Bank Secrecy Act and the Trading With The Enemy Act.

The bank says it is co-operating with investigations but that those discussions are confidential.

Standard Chartered agreed to pay £203m to settle money laundering claims

A US Senate investigative committee reported earlier this year that in 2007 and 2008, HSBC Mexico sent about $7bn in cash to the US. The committee said such an amount of cash pointed to illegal drug proceeds.

Last month it emerged HSBC was setting aside as much as $1.5bn (£935m) to cover the likely bill for fines from US authorities.

The HSBC agreement comes after another London-based bank, Standard Chartered, agreed to pay $340m (£203m) to settle federal charges that it laundered money on behalf of four countries, including Iran, that were subject to US economic sanctions.

That deal covered currency transactions made at the bank's New York branch for Iranian, Sudanese, Libyan and Burmese entities from 2001 to 2007.

With US officials increasingly cracking down on money laundering by banks, Credit Suisse, Barclays and Lloyds have all paid settlements since 2009 related to allegations that they moved money for people or companies that were on the US sanctions list.

An official announcement of the HSBC agreement is expected as early as Tuesday.

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Belfast Officer Attack Was 'Attempted Murder'

A petrol bomb attack on a police officer by suspected loyalists in Belfast is being treated as attempted murder.

A gang of 15 men targeted the unmarked vehicle on Monday night after surrounding and smashing it outside the offices of Alliance Party MP Naomi Long.

It was the worst incident in another night of sporadic violence in parts of east and south Belfast involving loyalists who took to the streets again in protest against a decision by Belfast City Council to restrict the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said the officer was lucky to escape with her life outside the MP's office on the Newtownards Road.

A car set alight in the Newtownards area over the weekend

He said: "This was a planned attempt to kill a police officer which also put the lives of the public in danger and it is fortunate there were no injuries."

Officers were also attacked with petrol bombs in south Belfast close to the M1.

More talks are planned later between Peter Robinson, the Northern Ireland First Minister and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, with Mike Nesbitt, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, to try to agree some sort of political strategy to ease tensions and end the violence.

It follows a meeting between the pair in Belfast on Monday.

They have been heavily criticised by nationalist representatives over their leadership since the trouble flared a week ago.

The Alliance Party has been the focus of loyalist anger

The trouble followed a council decision to limit the flying of the Union flag to designated days.

Ms Long's Alliance Party has been blamed by loyalists for supporting the nationalist SDLP and Sinn Fein in pushing through the vote to lower the flag.

She said: "If Northern Ireland is to move forward then we need a strict adherence to the rule of law and respect for the democratic process. We need this urgently before lives are lost."

Mr Robinson said: "The attempted murder of a police officer in East Belfast was a despicable act of terror.

"The masked men responsible do not act in the name of our Union Flag. They are bringing shame on it. My prayers are with the police officers at the centre of this attack."

There were also protests in Limavady, Co Londonderry, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, Ballycastle, Co Antrim, and Cookstown, Co Tyrone, where the car of a DUP member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Ian McCrea, was surrounded by angry loyalists.

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott said the some of the violence was intense and there was clearly some paramilitary involvement.

:: Witnesses have been urged to contact police at Strandtown on 0845 600 8000 or through the confidential Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111.

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HMS Audacious: New Super Submarine For Navy

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A £1.2bn contract has been agreed to build a new submarine for the Royal Navy.

The deal, awarded by the Ministry of Defence to BAE Systems, will safeguard 3,000 jobs at the company's Barrow shipyard in Cumbria.

The submarine, to be called HMS Audacious, will be the fourth of seven Astute Class boats being built for the Navy. It will join Astute, Ambush and Artful in the growing fleet.

The first two submarines, Astute and Ambush, are currently undergoing sea trials to test their systems ahead of full service. These trials assess their ability to dive to deep depths and fire missiles.

A further £1.5bn has also been committed to three submarines yet to be built, which will complete the fleet. It will allow vital preliminary work to start.

Commenting on the announcement, Rear Admiral Simon Lister, the MoD's director of submarines, said: "The Astute Class will become the jewel in the crown of the Royal Navy's Submarine Service and boasts much greater firepower and more advanced sonar and communications than ever before.

Audacious is the fourth of seven Astute submarines being built for the Navy

"These submarines represent a huge leap forward in technology and will operate all over the world with the Royal Navy.

"These boats provide the optimum capability a submarine can offer in land strike, strategic intelligence gathering, anti-submarine and surface ship warfare, and protection of the strategic deterrent."

The Astute class submarines are powered by nuclear energy which means they never need to refuel. In theory they can stay underwater forever, only re-surfacing to take on supplies for the crew.

They are fitted with the most advanced sonar systems available and are quieter than older submarines. The sonar system has the processing power of 2,000 laptops and can track spot and track ships 3,000 miles away.

At around 320ft (97 metres) from bow to stern they are about 50% bigger than the Royal Navy's current Trafalgar Class submarines. They carry on board a mix of Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk land-attack missiles.

The submarines will also make their own oxygen from seawater. 

The money is coming from a pre-allocated budget. In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor said the MoD could have more time to spend about £1bn that it has yet to use from this year's budget.

It was thought that the Treasury might request the money be returned, but George Osborne has allowed the department a period of flexibility.

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