The UK and Norway have signed a defence pact that will see their navies operate a combined fleet of warships to hunt Russian submarines.

The deal, which the Government said was the “first of its kind”, is aimed at protecting critical undersea cables, which the UK and its Nato allies believe are under increasing threat from Moscow.

It comes after a 30% rise in Russian vessels sighted in UK waters in the past two years, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The so-called Lunna House agreement – named after the Shetland Isles base used by the Norwegian resistance during the Second World War – was signed by Defence Secretary John Healey and his Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik in Downing Street on Thursday morning.

A beaming Mr Healey said it marked an “important moment” fo

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