The Queen Elizabeth cruise liner has sailed into port after a number of crew members tested positive for Covid-19.

The cases were detected aboard the Cunard ship while it was moored off the Dorset coast.

The liner sailed into the Queen Elizabeth II cruise terminal at Southampton docks, Hampshire, on Wednesday morning.

No passengers were onboard, with its first sailing due later this month after Cunard suspended all cruises in March 2020 because of the pandemic.

A Cunard spokeswoman said: “We have detected a small number of Covid-19 cases amongst crew members joining Queen Elizabeth.

“Working with Southampton Port Health we have taken steps to successfully contain the situation and one of these actions has been to limit new crew joining the ship.“We immediately put in place our approved isolation protocols and followed up with close contacts on the ship.

“We have comprehensive health and wellbeing procedures in place to protect all on board, which have been developed with guidance from our global medical, public health and industry experts and in close co-ordination with Government departments.

“The ship has no guests on board and is not due to sail until July 19.”

The 946ft liner is due to sail from Southampton on July 19 for a four-night “staycation” cruise to Cornwall taking in Land’s End, Lundy Island and the Jurassic Coast.