A SUBMARINE could be Scarborough's next adopted ship following the decommissioning of warship HMS Fearless later this year.

It had been hoped Fearless, adopted by the resort for the past 12 years, would make a final visit to the town, but its decommissioning is to take place seven months earlier than originally planned, the Royal Navy has said.

Commodore David Hughes said that while 12 destroyers were being built for the Navy, none could be allocated to Scarborough.

"They are likely to go to such cities as London and Birmingham, which have been without an adopted ship for several years," he said.

He said Scarborough may be allocated one of the six submarines being built, but that might not be until towards the end of the decade.

"Unfortunately, there will be no facilities for the submarine to visit Scarborough although the crew would still go to the town," he said