'Patriotic pride'

The petition reads: "We, the undersigned, petition the Prime Minister to recognise the contribution made by Barrow in Furness to the Royal Navy submarine service through the naming of the next submarine class.

"Having a Barrow class would be good for moral within the industry, raise the profile of the UK as world leaders in submarine construction and thus promote a patriotic pride.

"It would also be the most fitting recognition to those employees and people of Barrow, past and present, whose skills and efforts have given pride to the phrase 'Barrow built' and made the name known and respected throughout the world."

The Barrow yard built its first submarine in 1886 for the Ottoman Empire. It later constructed the Royal Navy's first submarine - the Holland class - which entered service in 1902.

HMS Dreadnought, the UK's first nuclear powered submarine, was built at Barrow by Vickers, and launched in 1963.

Astute, the Royal Navy's latest class of nuclear attack submarines, are currently under construction at the town's BAE Systems shipyard, which employs about 3,000 people.