GUNNERS on HMS Ledbury poised at stand-to as fighter jets roared low overhead to attack.

But lying far from any battle seas, it would only have been blanks the crew was firing back.

The minesweeper, named after the Ledbury hunt and affiliated with the town, was on Loch Ewe in Scotland and taking part in a two-week Joint Maritime Course.

With winds exceeding 58 knots and rain and hail blowing diagonally, the battle unexpectedly turned live as the men picked up a live World War II mine at the harbour entrance on their sonar, as well as two exercise devices, which they exploded.

"The opportunity to dispose of a live piece of historic ordnance gave the crew a sense of accomplishment and reminded all of the main reason that the Mine Counter Measures vessels exist," said Royal Navy Sub Lieutenant SJ Donovan.

The gun crew shared the lock with Mine Counter Measures units from the Netherlands who pitched their warfare skills against constant air raids from swooping British harriers and hawks and German Air Force tornadoes.

The task followed an affiliates day when the officers and men of HMS Ledbury reacquainted themselves with their namesake town.

The event was held in the vessel's homeport, Portsmouth, and guests included the mayor of Ledbury, Cllr Phill Bettington and his wife, and representatives of John Masefield High School.

The guests were taken on a tour of Portsmouth harbour and shown around the ship where demonstrations of diving and nuclear, biological, chemical and damage control, were given.

Now HMS Ledbury is expected to deploy to Europe and the Baltic for five months with MCMFORNORTH, a collection of minesweepers from Holland, Belgium, Germany and the UK, that covers the northern NATO area.

AE:anita.howells@newsquestmidlands.co.uk:Anita Howells