An unmanned submarine christened Boaty McBoatface after a competition to name a new polar research ship backfired is being sent on its first Antarctic mission.

Boaty, a new type of autonomous underwater vehicle, is to investigate water flow and turbulence in the dark depths of the Orkney Passage, a 3.5 kilometre (2.17 miles) deep region of the Southern Ocean.

The submarine got its name after the Natural Environment Research Council unadvisedly asked members of the public to decide what to call a new polar research ship.

The people spoke, and by a huge majority voted for the name Boaty McBoatface. Embarrassed officials rejected the choice and instead named the £200 million ship after the famous naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.