THE Royal Navy’s huge aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious finally managed to weigh anchor from its Thames mooring at Greenwich early this-morning after high winds delayed her for 48 hours

THE Royal Navy’s huge aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious finally managed to weigh anchor from its Thames mooring at Greenwich early this-morning after high winds delayed her for 48 hours.

Illustrious should have left Greenwich on Monday, but the 50mph winds made it too risky to pass back out through the Thames Barrier with only 15ft clearance.

The vessel finally left at 4am and got through the barrier without mishap down to the Thames estuary.

She had been in London for last Thursday’s flypast of 40 naval helicopters marking the 100th anniversary of the Fleet air service.