A NEW £1 billion Royal Navy warship is opening its doors to the public this weekend.

HMS Daring arrived at Portland yesterday and is welcoming youth groups and schools today with the public welcome to jump on board tomorrow for free.

Captain Guy Robinson said: “It’s a really good chance for people to walk around so they can see the operations room and get a sense of what it’s like being a sailor.

“I hope people jump at the chance to come and see Daring.”

Last evening dignitaries including the mayors of Weymouth and Portland were due on board for a reception and ceremony with a performance by a bugler from the Royal Marines Band.

The new type 45 destroyer will rest at Portland Port for three days and will also welcome the Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets today.

Visitors will get a chance to see the state of the art operations room and speak to the crew.

The ship has been designed for air defence with a radar capability of up to 300 miles.

The ship’s missiles have been proven in practice this year to be able to destroy a target the size of a cricket ball travelling three times the speed of sound Among the crew are a number coming ashore to visit loved ones on a welcome stop off.

Fighter Controller Tom Gell, 26, is hoping to visit his parents in Broadmayne.

He said: “This is my first trip back when we’ve anchored. Having lived pretty much my entire life in Dorset it’s nice to be able to come back.”

Seaman specialist Josh Chant, 20, is hoping to see his parents in Victoria Street in Weymouth as well as his girlfriend.

He said: “If you don’t mind being away I would recommend joining the Royal Navy to travel the world.

“It means a lot coming back.”

Visitors this weekend will also see the ship’s own hanger and HMS Daring’s own Lynx helicopter.

Executive Warrant Officer ‘Tug’ Summers, 44, grew up in Weymouth and went to the Weymouth Grammar School – now Budmouth. He said: ‘It’s always special to come back. “I’m moving back to Weymouth when we come back from our deployment next year.

“I’ve been looking forward to catching up with a few old schoolmates.”

The crew will be expected to finish its training operations on board and ready to be deployed in operations next year Visitors are being welcomed tomorrow from noon.

Up until 3.45pm a shuttle bus will take people to the ship from the Portland Port gates.

Ship backbone of surface fleet

HMS Daring is part of the most powerful destroyer class ever built in the UK.

It is designed to be a flexible multi-role vessel able to carry out a variety of tasks across the globe from an air defence to humanitarian and anti-piracy functions.

HMS Daring is the seventh ship to bear the name and was launched in Glasgow on February, 1, 2006, by HRH the Countess of Wessex.

It is the first of class of six Type 45s, all of which have been built on the Clyde and are worth six billion pounds in total.

These six ships will form the backbone of the surface fleet in the modern Royal Navy. Upon entering service in 2009, HMS Daring is one of the most advanced warships in the world.