BAE Systems is creating a Covid-19 test centre on its Barrow site. 

A mobile, drive-thru testing station is being built on land at the docks by the newly-built Resolution building.

A spokesman said the centre was for the use of the wider community as well as shipyard staff.

This week the British Army are using the site after being asked by the Government to help with the nationwide efforts to increase testing.

A BAE Systems spokesman said: “Our intent is to establish a regional test centre in Barrow for the local community and employees and we are working with the Department for Health and Social Care, local authorities, as well as local and national health agencies to achieve this.

“The first phase was to complete the development of the site infrastructure.

“This is now finished, however, there are a number of important steps still to complete before we can begin to operate the test centre ourselves.

“In the meantime, and to support the Government’s national testing programme, we have offered use of our site to the UK military, who will operate from here on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.”

The new mobile units will work alongside the drive-through test sites to rapidly increase the number of tests completed each day.

The units have also been designed to clinical requirements by army engineers and can be easily set up in under 20 minutes.

Bill McEwan, Barrow Borough Councillor, welcomed the news for a test centre at the shipyard.

He said: “For BAE to do this is a great step forward.

“BAE is the biggest employer in town so it’s great for the residents to see them getting on board with testing. We do not want a second spike.”