By Pa and Julian Robinson for MailOnline
Published: 22:31 GMT, 17 February 2019 | Updated: 08:01 GMT, 18 February 2019
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A Spanish warship with its guns manned tried to order commercial vessels to leave Gibraltars British waters on Sunday, it has emerged.
The warship's crew can be heard in an audio recording of a radio exchange telling vessels anchored at the Rock to 'leave Spanish territorial waters'.
Royal Navy boats were deployed and confronted the ship, which then sailed along the Gibraltar coast 'with its weapons uncovered and manned'.
Boats which were ordered to leave remained at the port during the incident, which was branded 'foolish' by a spokesman for Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar.
It comes weeks after Britain's Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson suggested in a meeting with top brass, that UK forces should pelt Spanish war ships with paintballs in a bid to humiliate them.
A Spanish warship with its guns primed for action (highlighted in red) tried to order commercial vessels to leave Gibraltars British waters in a 'foolish' game on Sunday, it has emerged
The warship's crew can be heard in an audio recording of a radio exchange telling vessels anchored at the Rock to 'leave Spanish territorial waters'
