THE crew of Portsmouth minehunter HMS Ledbury have been named the best in Britain.

The more than 40 sailors on the ship have earned the Effectiveness Trophy for their minehunting actions in 2013, which included dealing with the debris of the Second World War around the UK.

Ledbury’s commanding officer, Lt Cdr Simon Pressdee, said: “The award is a great honour for Crew 6 and recognises the high standards that all the crew maintained during 2013 following sustained operational deployments to the Middle East, Mediterranean and the Baltic.

“Having raised the bar I am confident we will continue to deliver to this high standard during our forthcoming deployment in 2014.”