Portsmouth dredging work set to start in the autumn

Three million cubic metres of sea bed will be removed in Portsmouth

Work to prepare Portsmouth harbour to allow the navy's new aircraft carriers to dock will start in the autumn the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

Three million cubic metres of sea bed will be removed to deepen and widen a 4 mile (7km) channel.

It will allow the navy's new 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales to enter the port.

The work costing £31m is expected take eight months.

The MoD said high-voltage power for the ships when berthed and new gangways were also being installed in the naval base to accommodate the vessels.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to be handed over to the MoD in 2016 ahead of being put into service in 2020.

Work is also under way on a second aircraft carrier, HMS Prince Of Wales.