RECEPTIONIST Jane King swapped her job at Blackburn Shopping Centre for a life at sea - and helped World War II survivors take a trip back in time.

The 22-year-old signed up for a career in the Royal Navy last year.

The former pupil of Ribblesdale High School, Clitheroe, was assigned as a carer to survivors of HMT Lancastria when they visited the ship's wreckage off the French port of St Nazaire.

Her ship, HMS Shetland, a fishery protection ship, took part in the mission to transport around 50 survivors and their families 10 miles from the coast to the wreck site.

The work as a carer with the Navy is a far cry from her five-year role as a receptionist with the shopping centre's management team. Sheila Beaghan, who worked with her, said: "I am not surprised she is doing so well. It is what she always wanted to do."

HMS Lancastria - a former Cunard liner of more than 16,000 tonnes - was bombed during an evacuation of civilians from the shores of France as German troops advanced in World War II.

About 2,500 crew members out of 7,500 survived the German aircraft bombing as the ship took soldiers and civilians on board during the evacuation.

For many of the survivors, who are part of the Lancastria Association, the trip was a last chance to pay their respects to fellow servicemen and women who lost their lives in the mission.

Jane joined the Royal Navy in search of something "more active". She is currently working on HMS Somerset - a new Navy Type 23 frigate - after HMS Lancastria was sold to Bangladesh.