Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced that the Royal Navy has been drafted in to help rescue UK tourists left stranded abroad due to ongoing flight cancellations.

Hundreds of travellers have been unable to return to the UK due to the eruption of Eyjafjallajoekull in Iceland, which has led to a cloud of volcanic ash drifting across Europe.

Two ships - HMS Ark Royal and HMS Ocean - will be deployed to the Channel as part of the repatriation effort, while HMS Albion has been sent to Spain to pick up soldiers returning from Afghanistan.

Brown revealed that talks have been held with Spanish authorities with a view to using the country's airports as a hub for UK travellers unable to return home.

The government also plans to work with travel operators to ensure that cross-channel ferries and the Eurostar rail service are running at extra capacity to help with the relief efforts.

Brown said: "We are looking at the results of test flights that have been up in the air and looking also at the manufacturers' recommendations, but that will be dealt with by the European Council meeting of Transport Ministers.

"Further decisions about when flights can go and whether flights can not go will have to be made as a result of the conclusions of these meetings."