Shipbuilding on the Clyde has been given a huge boost with BAE winning the contract to build five more frigates.

The five Type 26 frigates - designed for anti-submarine warfare - are in addition to the three currently under construction at the Govan shipyard.

The £4.2bn contract secures the yard for the next decade at least with thousands of jobs to build the ships.

The UK Government said the contract will support 1700 jobs over the next decade at BAE Systems sites in Govan and Scotstoun.

Glasgow HMS Glasgow is nearing build completion and is due to leave the yard by the end of the year to be fitted out at Scotstoun.

HMS Cardiff is currently being built in sections in the ship hall at Govan and HMS Belfast will be the third, completing the first contract.

The five ships in the new contract will be HMS Birmingham, HMS Sheffield, HMS Newcastle, HMS Edinburgh and HMS London.

Ben Wallace, defence secretary, said: “We are investing in our fleet to ensure our Royal Navy maintains its world-leading capability to protect and defend our nation at sea.

"This design has already been successfully exported to Australia and Canada. It's already proved itself as a world-class maritime capability, securing thousands of UK jobs and strengthening alliances with our allies.

“Supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs in Scotland, and more across the wider UK supply chain, this contract will continue to boost our British shipbuilding industry, galvanising the very best of British engineering, manufacturing and design.”

The announcement of the next five will take the yard into the future with a £100m investment programme at Govan.

BAE are building a huge new indoor shipbuilding hall to ensure the ships can be build under cover.

Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems' chief executive officer, said: “This contract secures a critical UK industry and allows us to build on our long history of shipbuilding on the Clyde as we continue to deliver cutting-edge equipment to the Royal Navy into the next decade.

“It underpins the ongoing investments we’re making in the skills, infrastructure and technologies needed to stay at the forefront of the maritime sector and to support the UK Government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.”