A group of leaders from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors have visited Barrow's shipyard.

The group came to BAE Systems as part of a leadership development programme aimed at sharing learning and understanding.

The visit was arranged by the Whitehall and Industrial Group (WIG), an independent charity and membership organisation, made up of around 220 organisations, including BAE Systems.

WIG aims to encourage learning, collaboration and mutual trust between the sectors through a series of different initiatives aimed at all career levels.

The two-day visit to Barrow included a tour of the Devonshire Dock Hall.

It was hosted by John Moorby, the Astute Programme director, who began working with WIG at the start of 2019.

John said: "This visit was an ideal opportunity to demonstrate the strategic nature of what we do in Barrow, and hold discussions on how this impacts the local area across all sectors.

"To have the opportunity to look around the Devonshire Dock Hall was one I hope they'll never forget and I'm sure will lead to even greater collaborative opportunities."

The first three submarines in the Astute class – HMS Astute, HMS Ambush and HMS Artful – are already in service with the Royal Navy.

The fourth, fifth and sixth are in various stages of construction. A seventh - HMS Agincourt - is expected to leave Barrow in the mid-2020s weighing 7,400 tonnes and measuring 97m long.