CUMBRIA will be responsible for creating another of the world's best nuclear submarines after the Government granted BAE Systems £1.3billion to fund the next vessel.

The attack sub, named Anson, will be the fifth in the Astute Class, built in Barrow, and will be powered by a nuclear reactor and provide land strike, strategic intelligence-gathering, anti-submarine and surface ship warfare capabilities.

It is fuelled for life and can circumnavigate the world underwater, producing its own clean drinking water for the crew and replenishing its oxygen supply.

The Government's investment, announced today by the Minister for Defence Procurement, Philip Dunne, means that the 7,600 people currently employed by BAE Systems have been granted unprecedented job security.

Also, because the company has learned from previous submarine builds, Anson is set to come in £50million cheaper than first predicted, and it is already nine months ahead of schedule compared to the third sub produced on site - Artful.

Mr Dunne MP said: "We should be proud as a nation to be one of the leading submarine builders in the world. We've been looking at the risks that the nation faces both here and abroad. It's clearly a darker place than last year when we saw Russia as a potential partner against ISIS."

He went on to praise Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock, calling him 'a tremendous champion for Barrow and this project'.

However, Mr Dunne also said: "The Conservative Party is committed to maintaining a continuous at sea deterrent. You will have to ask the Labour Party where they are on this issue at the moment but clearly they are in a position of confusion and the people of Barrow may wish to reflect on that."

Mr Woodcock hailed today's announcement as 'a timely reminder of the importance of the work done here for the nation and the economic benefit it brings ot the area'.

Tony Johns, Managing Director of BAE Systems Submarines, said: "Signing this contract is an important milestone in the Astute programme. This is a hugely complex national endeavour and we are proud of the role we play in helping to protect our nation's interests.

"HMS Astute and HMS Ambush are already demonstrating their world-class capabilities with the Royal Navy, while the third submarine in the class, Artful, is continuing with her sea trials. The build phase for the fourth, Audacious, is also well advanced, so we continue to make positive progress across the programme."

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The Gazette spoke to an apprentice working on the new submarine - 25-year-old David Halshaw, from Walney.

He said: "I feel really proud. It's an enormous feeling. It's also nice to have security in your work and to know there's work there for years."