A FORMER Evesham man is to captain the world's most powerful warship, which has just been launched in Britain.

Commander David Shutts, who has since moved from the landlocked town, is to lead a crew of 230 on board the Type 45 destroyer, HMS Daring.

Looking after Daring, which has a price tag of £605m, is a highly prestigious position and Cmdr Shutts was proud to be chosen.

He said: "HMS Daring brings a level of capacity that we have not seen yet in the Royal Navy. It is the biggest escort class ship we've built since the Second World War.

"And from the full spectrum of activity, complete support right through to intense war fighting, this ship brings something bigger and better than we've seen before."

A crowd of 11,000 cheering people yesterday watched the launch of HMS Daring into the River Clyde in Glasgow, by the Countess of Wessex.

The 150m long vessel weighs in at 7,350 tons and is said by defence chiefs to be the most advanced ever.

The multi-purpose dest-royer will come into service in 2009 and is fitted with a state-of-the-art anti-air missile system that is designed to cover hundreds of miles.

Defence Secretary John Reid said it was a proud day for the Royal Navy. He said: "It is a huge boost for the Royal Navy because this is the most powerful destroyer in Britain.

"We have to make every effort to ensure our service men and women get the equipment as well as the training to enhance their capabilities and that's just what this does," Mr Reid said.

Daring, which is yet to be fitted with its formidable array of firepower, will now move down the river in Glasgow to a dry dock for the remainder of the work to be carried out.

Daring is the seventh Navy ship with that name.