Shiprepair yards in north west Europe are suffering from a downturn in business and Falmouth is no exception.

A&P Falmouth is gearing up for the arrival next week of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Gold Rover for the start of a multi-million pound refit.

The threat of war looming in the Middle East will in all probability throw planned refits for other units of the RFA fleet to the wind in 2003 with the Royal Navy wanting all available ships in the event of war.