ROYAL Navy carrier HMS Illustrious is back in the west of Scotland for a week.

She will be based until next Monday at Glenmallan on Loch Long, taking on stores and ammunition for eight weeks of cold weather training inside the Arctric Circle.

This culminates in a Norwegian-led NATO mission, 'Exercise Cold Response', also involving ships from Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden.

During the exercise, Illustrious, pictured, will embark her Lynx and Sea King helicopters along with a company of Royal Marines from Plymouth-based 42 Commando.

The Royal Marines will be joined ashore by landing forces from the Netherlands and the United States.

Amphibious assault ship HMS Bulwark will also take part.

Illustrious commanding officer, Captain Martin Connell, said: "Last year the government reaffirmed the need for the UK's armed forces to be capable of responding to a wide variety of potential crises anywhere in the world.

"Operating and fighting in extreme weather is just one vital part of a global capability, and it is important we exercise it from time to time. "This exercise inside the Arctic Circle will be a stiff test, but it marks a significant milestone in preparing to take over as the UK's sole high-readiness helicopter carrier later in the year.

"I very much look forward to supporting our NATO allies and to demonstrating the abilities in a challenging multi-national exercise." Once Cold Response is completed, Illustrious will take over as the UK's high-readiness helicopter and commando carrier, ready for action anywhere in the world.

Illustrious recently underwent a lengthy refit and went overseas for the first time in more than two years on a visit to Hamburg.

A Navy spokesman said: "On the voyage back, her 700 crew carried out the ceremonial and symbolic act of re-dedication."