Royal Navy dive team given Freedom of Orkney

Divers change the ensign on HMS Royal Oak every year in commemoration of those who died

The Freedom of Orkney has been bestowed on Royal Navy divers to honour their work in the area.

The Northern Diving Group (NDG), based in Faslane, was called to Orkney for the 145th time last week to deal with unexploded ordnance.

Every year the group also changes the ensign on the wreck of HMS Royal Oak - which was sunk in Scapa Flow in 1939.

Orkney councillors voted to confer the honour on the team.

The council said it was firstly in recognition of the long association with commemorating those who died in the sinking of the Royal Oak.

• Orkney grants freedom to dead explorer

• Royal Oak anniversary remembered

The battleship was torpedoed by a German U-boat at Scapa Flow during World War Two.

Most of the 1,200 crew were asleep below deck, and more than 800 - including many boy sailors - died.

'Hugely honoured'

The honour was also for keeping the Orkney community safe through the safe disposal of modern and historic ordnance, including torpedoes and mines.

The team was described as "indispensable over decades" to Orkney.

The group's commanding officer, Lt Cdr Mark Shaw, said the 39-strong team was "hugely honoured".

The award will be formally marked later in the summer if restrictions allow.

The most recent previous recipient of the Freedom of Orkney was the late Dr John Rae.

The famed Arctic explorer was posthumously conferred the award in 2017.