A Russian submarine managed to collide with a Royal Navy ship, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.

According to BBC News, the HMS Northumberland was on patrol in the North Atlantic and had been tracking the submarine.

It then managed to hit the ship's sonar, which is a piece of equipment which was trailing hundreds of metres behind it.

This incident occurred in late 2020, and was captured by a documentary film crew for the Channel 5 Warship: Life at Sea series.

The MoD would not usually comment on operations but it has done so because the incident was caught on camera.

Bournemouth Echo: Royal Navy ships in formation (PA)Royal Navy ships in formation (PA)

A spokesman for the MoD said: "In late 2020 a Russian submarine being tracked by HMS Northumberland came into contact with her towed array sonar.

"The Royal Navy regularly tracks foreign ships and submarines in order to ensure the defence of the United Kingdom."

According to BBC News it was unlikely that the collision was deliberate, and it is unknown what damage, if any, was suffered by the Russian submarine.

This incident did result in the Royal Navy ship having to return to port in Scotland to replace the damaged equipment.