Economic appraisal of HMS Caroline options 'completed'

Image caption, WWI light cruiser HMS Caroline has been in Alexandra Dock in Belfast for more than 80 years.

An economic appraisal of ways to keep World War One warship HMS Caroline in Belfast has been completed, the enterprise minister has said.

Arlene Foster added that talks with the Royal Navy about the ship's future are still going on.

HMS Caroline was a headquarters and training ship for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in Northern Ireland from more than 80 years.

The light cruiser was formally decommissioned in 2011.

The last remaining navy warship of the 1916 Battle of Jutland, she has been taken over by the Portsmouth-based National Museum of the Royal Navy.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard already holds 400 of the ship's artefacts.

Around 80% of the ship is original and it has what are thought to be the only surviving in-situ World War I turbines in the world.

Built in 1914 in Birkenhead, HMS Caroline was one of the fastest warships of the time and went on to serve through both world wars.