A British attack submarine has been locked in a “cat-and-mouse” pursuit by Russian submarines and warships, military sources revealed.

While Theresa May was deciding last week whether to launch strikes against Syria, a drama began beneath the surface of the eastern Mediterranean.

A Royal Navy submarine armed with cruise missiles is believed to have been hunted by at least one, and possibly two, Russian submarines dubbed “the Black Hole” by western naval experts because they are so quiet.

Two Russian frigates and an anti-submarine aircraft are also thought to have been searching for the British boat as it manoeuvred to put its Tomahawk cruise missiles within range of Syrian military targets. The Astute-class submarine is believed to have spent several days trying to evade detection