Missing Trident Submariner To Hand Himself In

A submariner who went on the run after highlighting security fears over the Trident nuclear programme has said he will hand himself into police.

Able Seaman William McNeilly disappeared last week after posting a lengthy document online claiming the programme was a "disaster waiting to happen".

Police have been searching for the 25-year-old following the allegations about submarines based at Faslane on the Clyde.

Earlier on Monday, in a post apparently from his Facebook account, he said he had "moved between countries, changed location every day", but now "lacks the resources to remain undetected".

He added: "I will be handing myself into the police today."

In the report, Mr McNeilly says he is an Engineering Technician Submariner who was on patrol with HMS Victorious this year.

He claims there are fire risks and leaks on-board submarines, adding that security checks are inadequate when submarines are docked at Faslane.

"My aim is to paint an overall picture of what I've seen, and to break down the false images of a perfect system that most people envisage exists," the post says.

Earlier, the Royal Navy confirmed Mr McNeilly was a member of the naval service and that it was "concerned for his whereabouts and wellbeing".

It added that many of Mr McNeilly's claims are "subjective and unsubstantiated personal views, made by a very junior sailor, with which the naval service completely disagrees".

A Royal Navy spokeswoman said: "The Royal Navy takes security and nuclear safety extremely seriously and we are fully investigating both the issue of the unauthorised release of this document and its contents.

"The naval service operates its submarine fleet under the most stringent safety regime and submarines do not go to sea unless they are completely safe to do so."