A 8,000-tonne hull section of the Royal Navy’s latest aircraft carrier began a 600-mile journey around the north coast of Scotland.

The mid-section of hull, known as “lower block 03”, is the first part of the HMS Queen Elizabeth to go into the dry dock.

At 20 metres high and 63 metres long, it has been moved out of a hall at the BAE Systems shipyard in Govan, Glasgow, and was taken by sea to Rosyth on the Forth where the aircraft carrier will be pieced together.

To mark the completion of the construction, more than 50 cyclists took part in a 500-mile bike ride aiming to “beat the block” to its final destination.

The cyclists are attempting to raise more than £10,000 for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, stopping at Fort William, Elgin, Peterhead and St Andrews.

Steven Carroll, project director at BAE Systems, said there was a real sense of pride at the yard.

He said: “Watching lower block 03 be towed down the Clyde gives us a chance to reflect on the huge achievements of the past two years since we cut the first steel on this first section.”

“The beat the block challenge gives everyone a fun way to get involved and it’s fantastic to see so many cyclists from across the Carrier Alliance taking part, helping to raise money for a charity that supports the men and women of our armed forces. This is a tough challenge and I encourage members of the public to show your support when you see the team cycle past.”

Gerald Howarth, minister for international security strategy, said: “Excellent progress is being made on this project and it will form the cornerstone of the Royal Navy’s Future Force 2020.”